Rhode Island Bill Tracking And State Guide

Everything you need to know to engage with the Senate and House
How does a bill become law in Rhode Island?
  1. Introduction: A bill can be introduced by any Representative or Senator in their respective house.
  2. Numbering: The Recording Secretary numbers the bill in the House of Representatives, and the Secretary of the Senate does the same for the Senate.
  3. Referral: The Speaker of the House or the President of the Senate refers the bill to the appropriate committee.
  4. Committee Action: The committee may take various actions, including:
    • a. Recommend passage as introduced;
    • b. Recommend passage with amendments;
    • c. Recommend passage of a substitute;
    • d. Recommend further referral to another committee;
    • e. Recommend indefinite postponement;
    • f. Report the bill to the floor without a recommendation.
  5. Calendar: The bill goes on the calendar when a committee recommends passage. All "Public Bills" are reproduced with a short explanation for distribution.
  6. Transmission: After passage in one house, the bill is sent to the other house to follow a similar procedure.
  7. Final Passage: If both houses concur, the bill is forwarded to the Governor.

Governor's Actions:

  1. The Governor may sign and approve the bill, returning it to the Secretary of State who notifies the original house of its passage into law.
  2. The Governor may veto the bill, returning it to the original house. If three-fifths of the members in both houses vote in favor, the bill becomes law despite the veto.
  3. The Governor may allow the bill to become law without a signature if it is not signed within six days (excluding Sunday) while the General Assembly is in session. If the Assembly is adjourned, the bill becomes law unless the Governor disapproves it in writing within ten days after adjournment.
  4. By statute, any law that does not specify when it takes effect will become effective on July 1 of the year it was enacted by the General Assembly.
How can a member of the public get involved in the legislative process in Rhode Island?
Members of the public can get involved in the legislative process in Rhode Island by participating in the following ways: 1. Contacting Legislators: Individuals can reach out to their elected Representatives and Senators to express their opinions about proposed legislation or to advocate for new bills. 2. Attending Public Hearings: Citizens are encouraged to attend public hearings held by committees in the House and Senate. These hearings provide an opportunity to provide testimony, ask questions, and voice support or opposition to specific bills. 3. Submitting Testimony: Members of the public can submit written testimony on bills being considered. This allows individuals to formally present their views, even if they cannot attend hearings in person. 4. Following Legislation: Interested individuals can track the progress of bills through the legislative process. This allows them to stay informed about when bills are being debated, amended, or voted upon. 5. Engagement in Advocacy: Joining or collaborating with advocacy groups that align with specific legislative interests can amplify an individual's voice and influence on the legislative process. 6. Researching Bills: Keeping informed about current legislation, proposed bills, and their implications is crucial. This can help the public make informed statements during public hearings or when communicating with legislators.
How can FastDemocracy help me with that?
Tracking bills is hard, especially if you rely on state legislature websites, which are often hard to navigate. Thousands of bills get filed in Rhode Island every year (and about 180,000 bills nationwide). If you want to be an effective advocate, you need to know where legislation of interest stands, and act quickly.
FastDemocracy's free version allows you to track an unlimited number of bills - no strings attached. We'll send you a daily or weekly email on your priority bills and give you tools to research bills and legislators.
FastDemocracy Professional is for anyone who tracks bills in a professional capacity. It features
  • real-time bill, amendment and hearing alerts
  • automated reporting
  • team collaboration
  • bill tagging for clients and stakeholders
  • bill similarity detection
  • ...and much more
How do I track bills in Rhode Island?
1. Sign up here for a free FastDemocracy account.
2. Head to Tracked Topics to select issue areas you care about.
3. Use the search bar on top if you're looking for something specific.
4. Click "Track Bill" for any legislation you'd like to monitor a bit closer. That's how you add it to your Tracked Bills. You can also click on a bill to learn more, see the bill summary, most recent actions, votes, news and tweets. You can also contact legislators or share your bills on social media.
5. You can track an unlimited number of bills for free and we'll send you a daily or weekly email if your tracked legislation moves.
6. Do you need real-time alerts, outreach tools, bill lists, and professional functions? Then FastDemocracy Professional is the right fit for you.
7. Track bills on your smartphone using our free mobile app.
How do I find my local Rhode Island Senator and Representative?
You can use the Find Your Legislators tool to find them, see their voting records, and contact them.
Most tracked bills in Rhode Island, 2026 Regular Session
AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- HEALTHCARE WORKER PLATFORM ACT (Establishes the healthcare worker platform and would require platforms offering healthcare shifts to register with the department of health by June 1, 2027, while, specifically, exempting them from being classified as nursing service agencies.)
Last Action
04/03/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/09/2026)
Senate • Apr 03, 2026
Latest Version
Apr 09, 2026 04:00pm
Room 211 - State House, Time: Rise of the Senate
AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- RHODE ISLAND BAN ON THE CORPORATE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE ACT (Establishes the Rhode Island Ban on the Corporate Practice of Medicine Act.)
Last Action
04/03/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/09/2026)
House • Apr 03, 2026
Latest Version
Apr 09, 2026 04:00pm
Room 101 - State House, Time: Rise of the House
AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- RHODE ISLAND HEALTHCARE TRANSACTION OVERSIGHT ACT (Requires a healthcare entity to submit written notice to the attorney general and the department of health of any material change transaction at least 180 days prior to that transaction.)
Last Action
04/03/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/09/2026)
House • Apr 03, 2026
Latest Version
Apr 09, 2026 04:00pm
Room 101 - State House, Time: Rise of the House
AN ACT RELATING TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND HOSPITALS -- MENTAL HEALTH LAW (Provides that advanced practice registered nurses have the same immunity from liability as physicians and surgeons.)
Last Action
03/27/2026 Referred to Senate Judiciary
Senate • Mar 27, 2026
Latest Version
AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- THE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE USE BY HEALTH INSURERS TO MANAGE COVERAGE AND CLAIMS ACT (Promotes transparency and accountability in the use of artificial intelligence by health insurers to manage coverage and claims.)
Last Action
03/24/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Senate • Mar 24, 2026
Latest Version
AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES (Prohibits insurance companies from paying a rate that is less than the approved Medicaid rate set by the executive office of health and human services.)
Last Action
03/24/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
House • Mar 24, 2026
Latest Version
AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- MINIMUM WAGES -- HEALTHCARE WORKER OVERTIME PAY (Requires all health care workers who are employed on any Sunday or holiday, to be compensated at the rate of time and one-half.)
Last Action
03/18/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
House • Mar 18, 2026
Latest Version
AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- BUILDING PERFORMANCE STANDARDS ACT OF 2026 (Directs the office of energy resources to develop building performance standards for large buildings in Rhode Island that would cause greenhouse gas emissions to decline in line with the act on climate requirements.)
Last Action
03/11/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
House • Mar 11, 2026
Latest Version
AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- BUILDING BENCHMARKING AND REPORTING ACT OF 2026 (Establishes a program for the energy and water benchmarking of large buildings in Rhode Island and a standard for their energy performance.)
Last Action
03/11/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
House • Mar 11, 2026
Latest Version
AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- NURSES (Allows advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants, and physicians who are and are not licensed in Rhode Island to provide telemedicine services to patients who are in the state when those services are rendered.)
Last Action
03/03/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Senate • Mar 03, 2026
Latest Version
AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- HEALTHCARE ACCESSIBILITY AND QUALITY ASSURANCE ACT (Prohibits unilateral modification of healthcare provider contracts.)
Last Action
02/27/2026 Introduced, referred to House Corporations
House • Feb 27, 2026
Latest Version
AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- THE RHODE ISLAND COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM (Establishes a universal, comprehensive, affordable single-payer health care insurance program and help control health care costs, which would be referred to as, "the Rhode Island Comprehensive Health Insurance Program" (RICHIP).)
Last Action
02/27/2026 Introduced, referred to House Corporations
House • Feb 27, 2026
Latest Version
AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- HEALTH AND SAFE FAMILIES WORKPLACES ACT--WORKWEEK (Mandates the workweek be reduced to 32 hrs. Rate of pay for a 32 hr workweek remains the same as the rate of pay for 40 hrs. Work in excess of 32 hrs in any one workweek qualify for overtime pay. Does not apply to employers with less than 500 employees.)
Last Action
02/05/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
House • Feb 05, 2026
Latest Version
AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- HEALTHCARE WORKER PLATFORM ACT (Creates the healthcare worker platform act that requires platforms offering healthcare shifts to register with the Rhode Island department of health while exempting them from being classified as nursing service agencies.)
Last Action
01/29/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
House • Jan 29, 2026
Latest Version
AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- THIRD-PARTY LITIGATION FINANCING CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT (Provides for "litigation financing" regulation by DBR.)
Last Action
01/29/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
House • Jan 29, 2026
Latest Version
AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES (Prohibits insurance companies from paying a rate that is less than the approved Medicaid rate set by the executive office of health and human services.)
Last Action
01/16/2026 Introduced, referred to Senate Health and Human Services
Senate • Jan 16, 2026
Latest Version
AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM AND GENDER AFFIRMING CARE HEALTH DATA PRIVACY ACT (Classifies, research, intent and interest in healthcare services as protected healthcare data. Adds responsibilities for regulated entities that seek to collect and share consumer data including a requirement for specific and conspicuous consumer consent.)
Last Action
01/16/2026 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
Senate • Jan 16, 2026
Latest Version
AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES (Requires health plans that provide prescription benefits to cover at least one type of glucagon auto-injector, nasal spray, or formulation that does not require reconstitution to treat hypoglycemia. No copayment or deductible would be required.)
Last Action
01/16/2026 Introduced, referred to Senate Health and Human Services
Senate • Jan 16, 2026
Latest Version
AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- CONSENT TO MEDICAL AND SURGICAL CARE (Requires that an individual's caregiver be present when healthcare decisions are discussed with the hospice team. It would also prevent a denial of home hospice care because of age or income.)
Last Action
01/16/2026 Introduced, referred to Senate Health and Human Services
Senate • Jan 16, 2026
Latest Version
AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE STATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2027 (MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE STATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2027)
Last Action
01/15/2026 Introduced, referred to House Finance
House • Jan 15, 2026
Latest Version
Apr 09, 2026 04:00pm
Senate Lounge - State House, Time: Rise of the Senate
All Legislators in Rhode Island (Senator and Representative)