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4/17/2023 Media Advisory: Committee vote scheduled for bill to train police to recognize possible mental health disorders
 STATE HOUSE – The House Health and Human Services Committee has scheduled a vote Thursday on legislation concerning training police to recognize the possible existence of mental health disorders and substance use disorders. The committee will also hold hearings on three other bills.

The committee is scheduled to meet Thursday, April 20, at the rise of the House session (sometime after 4:30 p.m.) in Room 135 on the first floor of the State House.

It is slated to consider amending and voting on:
  • 2023-H 5881 — Sponsored by Rep. Thomas E. Noret (D-Dist. 25, Coventry, West Warwick), the committee will consider an amended version of this bill, which would require police training on recognizing the possible existence of mental health disorders and substance use disorders and would require certified crisis intervention team training for all officers.
 
The committee is slated to hold hearings on:
 
  • 2023-H 5426 — This bill sponsored by Rep. June S. Speakman (D-Dist. 68, Warren, Bristol) aligns Rhode Island with current federal requirements on health insurers as established by the Affordable Care Act and prohibits annual and lifetime limits on coverage within health insurance plans issued within the state.
  • 2023-H 6179 — Sponsored by Health and Human Services Committee Chairwoman Susan R. Donovan (D-Dist. 69, Bristol, Portsmouth), this bill provides all Medicare recipients over 65 years of age applying for a Medicare supplement plan guaranteed issue rights regardless of medical or health or receipt of health care by the applicant.
  • 2023-H 6218 — Sponsored by Rep. Stephen M. Casey (D-Dist. 50, Woonsocket), this bill defines step therapy and prohibit certain groups and agreements from requiring prior authorization or a step therapy protocol when prescribing certain medications.
The meeting will be livestreamed at https://www.rilegislature.gov/CapTV/Pages/default.aspx and televised by Capitol Television, which can be seen on Cox Communications on channels 15 and 61 for high definition; i3Broadband (Formerly Full Channel) on channel 15; and on Verizon on channel 34. Click here for information on testifying before House committees.
 
 



For more information, contact:
Larry Berman, Communications Director for the Office of the Speaker
State House Room 322
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-2466