The bill amends Chapter 5-19.1 of the General Laws entitled "Pharmacies" by adding a new section that allows pharmacists to prescribe and dispense short-term, FDA-approved hormonal contraceptives. The state board of pharmacy, in consultation with the Rhode Island medical board, the Rhode Island state board of nursing, and the Rhode Island department of health, will adopt rules for this practice. Pharmacists will be required to complete educational training, provide a self-screening risk assessment tool, give patients a written record of the prescribed contraceptive, advise patients to consult with a healthcare practitioner, and notify the patient's primary care provider or provide a list of healthcare providers for follow-up care. The contraceptives must be dispensed as soon as practicable after the prescription is issued, and the initial prescription is limited to a three-month supply. Insurance coverage must apply to contraceptives prescribed by a pharmacist, and pharmacies are encouraged to display signs indicating the availability of contraceptives.

The bill also includes a resolution related to the Rhode Island Medicaid Reform Act of 2008, authorizing the Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to pursue and implement necessary amendments to the state's Medicaid plan and/or section 1115 waiver to allow pharmacists to prescribe hormonal contraceptives. The resolution is approved by the General Assembly and is set to take effect on July 1, 2023. The act specifies that Section 1 will take effect on January 1, 2024, while Section 2 will take effect upon passage. The bill includes insertions of new legal language and deletions of previous language, with the effective dates of the sections being updated accordingly.