2025 -- S 0170

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LC001056

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

     Introduced By: Senators Appollonio, Patalano, Lawson, Murray, Tikoian, Burke, and
Ruggerio

     Date Introduced: February 05, 2025

     Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 23-1-17 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-1 entitled "Department

of Health" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     23-1-17. Additional general powers.

     (a) In addition to the other powers given to the director of health or the department of health

by other provisions of the general laws, and in order to permit the director to properly perform the

duties given to him or her by the general assembly, and to enforce the rules and regulations the

director is authorized to promulgate and adopt, the director is further authorized to promulgate and

adopt rules and regulations for the establishment of information collection, minimum sanitary

requirements, and other duties given to the director by § 23-1-1 or by any other provision of law,

and to enforce those rules and regulations. The director is further authorized to issue licenses or

permits, and to revoke, suspend, or annul them, to aid in the enforcement of those rules and

regulations.

     (b) In the event of a public health emergency, the director is authorized to grant a temporary

Rhode Island healthcare provider license for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days and limited to

those healthcare providers who hold an active valid license in another state. The director is

authorized to promulgate and adopt rules and regulations to establish a process for this temporary

emergency license.

     (c) In the event an application for professional licensure is delayed as a result of a medical

or dental board of licensure’s inability to establish a quorum, the director shall have the authority

to review and issue licenses for any pending applications pursuant to all applicable rules and

regulations.

     (1) Review of applications by the director shall apply to those medical or dental boards that

have business pending but have been unable to establish a quorum for more than thirty (30) business

days.

     (2) The authority granted by this subsection shall not extend to any pending disciplinary

actions.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

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     This act would grant the director of the department of health the authority to approve or

deny any applications for professional licensure pending before a medical or dental board of

licensure that has been unable to establish a quorum for thirty (30) business days.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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