| R 381 |
| 2026 -- S 2753 SUBSTITUTE A Enacted 06/03/2026 |
| S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
| URGING THE GOVERNOR TO CONDUCT A VETERANS HOME WORKFORCE ANALYSIS TO GUIDE POLICY AND BUDGET DECISIONS |
Introduced By: Senators Ujifusa, DiPalma, Felag, Euer, Kallman, Appollonio, E Morgan, Murray, Zurier, and Britto |
| Date Introduced: February 27, 2026 |
| WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Veterans Home in Bristol is operating below licensed bed |
| capacity, including not being able to open a thirty-two (32) unit Foxtrot wing for almost six (6) |
| years, due to persistent workforce shortages affecting nurses, certified nursing assistants, and |
| support staff; and |
| WHEREAS, Operating below licensed capacity does not properly address the needs of |
| Rhode Island veterans, causes undue stress on families and healthcare workers, and reduces |
| federal per diem reimbursement and increases per-resident costs, compounding the fiscal and |
| human consequences of each year the crisis goes unresolved; and |
| WHEREAS, The staffing crisis has persisted in part because policy and budget proposals |
| have not been grounded in comprehensive analysis of what compensation and workforce |
| structures are actually required to recruit and retain qualified staff; now, therefore, be it |
| RESOLVED, That the Rhode Island Senate hereby urges and requests that: |
| (1) The Governor direct the Department of Administration to conduct a comprehensive |
| analysis of why the Veterans Home cannot hire and retain enough qualified staff to operate at full |
| capacity, examining factors including: wage competitiveness, shift differentials, retention |
| incentives, housing and commute barriers, scheduling flexibility and career advancement |
| opportunities; |
| (2) The Department of Administration, based on that analysis, develop a corrective action |
| plan including a timeline that identifies how to reach full occupancy; and |
| (3) The Governor's Fiscal Year 2027-2028 budget proposal for the Veterans Home reflect |
| and take steps to implement the corrective action plan's recommendations; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of state be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Governor of Rhode Island, the Director of |
| Administration, the Director of the Office of Veterans Services, the Veterans Home |
| Administrator, and the Chairs of the Senate and House Finance Committees. |
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| LC005346/SUB A |
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