| R 437 |
| 2026 -- S 2258 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED Enacted 06/24/2026 |
| J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N |
| CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY SAFE STAFFING RATIOS IN HOSPITALS |
Introduced By: Senators Murray, Ciccone, Tikoian, Dimitri, Thompson, Appollonio, Burke, Patalano, Urso, and Vargas |
| Date Introduced: January 23, 2026 |
| RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created |
| consisting of sixteen (16) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the Rhode Island |
| House of Representatives, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by |
| the Speaker of the House; three (3) of whom shall be members of the Rhode Island Senate, not |
| more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; |
| two (2) of whom shall be representatives of hospital direct care staff, one of which shall be from a |
| specialty hospital (such as psychiatric, rehabilitation, of birthing), with one to be appointed by the |
| Speaker of the House, and one of whom to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one of |
| whom shall be a representative from the Organization of Nurse Leaders to be appointed by the |
| President of the Senate; one of whom shall be a representative from the Hospital Association of |
| Rhode Island to be appointed jointly by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate; |
| one of whom shall be a representative with expertise in nursing workforce development or |
| nursing education, such as a representative of a Rhode Island-based nursing education program, |
| to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be the Director of the Rhode |
| Island Department of Health, or designee; one of whom shall be the Rhode Island Attorney |
| General, or designee; one of whom shall be a representative from a patient advocacy |
| organization, to be appointed jointly by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate; |
| and two (2) of whom shall be representatives of labor unions representing hospital workers, one |
| of whom to be appointed by the Speaker of the House, and one of whom to be appointed by the |
| President of the Senate. |
| The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study and provide |
| recommendations to the General Assembly regarding safe staffing ratios in hospitals, including, |
| but not limited to: |
| • The impact of staffing levels on patient outcomes and safety; |
| • The effect of staffing ratios on workforce recruitment and retention; |
| • The financial and operational implications for hospitals and the state; |
| • A review of best practices and models from other states; and |
| • An evaluation of how Rhode Island hospitals are implementing new national |
| staffing standards, including the Joint Commission’s 2026 National Performance Goal on nurse |
| staffing, and whether additional state-level policies or oversight mechanisms are needed to ensure |
| compliance, patient safety, and workforce stability. |
| Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at |
| the call of the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate, and organize and shall select |
| a chairperson and vice-chairperson, one of whom shall be a member of the House and one of |
| whom shall be a member of the Senate. |
| Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment. |
| The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services or |
| reimbursement for expenses. |
| All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information, |
| documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or |
| desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution. |
| The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide |
| suitable quarters, staff and clerical support for said commission; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its progress quarterly to the General |
| Assembly beginning on September 1, 2026, and shall submit a final report with findings and |
| recommendations to the General Assembly no later than September 1, 2027, and said commission |
| shall expire on January 30, 2028. |
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| LC004295/SUB A/2 |
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