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3/23/2026
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Media Advisory: Senate Health and Human Services Committee to hear bills from Senate health care package
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STATE HOUSE – The Senate Health and Human Services Committee will meet tomorrow and Thursday for hearings on 11 of the bills in the Senate leadership’s 2026 health care package.
The committee is scheduled to meet tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24, at the rise of the Senate session (sometime after 4:30 p.m.) in the Senate Lounge on the second floor of the State House for hearings on bills from the package, including:
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2026-S 3056 — This bill sponsored by Senate Health and Human Services Committee Chairwoman Melissa Murray (D-Dist. 24, Woonsocket, North Smithfield) is aimed at enhancing rates for behaviorally complex care.
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2026-S 3057 — Sponsored by Sen. Pamela J. Lauria (D-Dist. 32, Barrington, Bristol, East Providence), this resolution would establish a primary care commission to support health care workforce retention.
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2026-S 3058— This bill sponsored by Chairwoman Murray would codify the 988 crisis hotline and the BH Link in state law.
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2026-S 3061 — Sponsored by Sen. Brian J. Thompson (D-Dist. 20, Woonsocket, Cumberland), this bill would address prior authorization for post-acute care.
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2026-S 3063 — This bill sponsored by Sen. Mark McKenney (D-Dist. 30, Warwick), creates a commission to study medical malpractice issues relating to lawsuits, claims, settlements and filings and the related impact on insurance costs for providers.
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2026-S 3064 — Sponsored by Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski (D-Dist. 37, South Kingstown), this bill would secure an initial $5 million in funding for the establishment of a medical school at the University of Rhode Island.
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2026-S 3066 — This bill sponsored by Senate President Valarie J. Lawson (D-Dist. 14, East Providence) would codify the Children’s Mobile Response and Stabilization Services program in state law and expand coverage.
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2026-S 3065 — Sponsored by Sen. Alana M. DiMario (D-Dist. 36, Narragansett, North Kingstown, New Shoreham), this bill would set a commercial insurance reimbursement rate floor for mobile response and stabilization services.
The committee meets again Thursday, March 26, at the rise of the Senate session in the Senate Lounge for hearings on three bills from the package, all establishing new oversight of pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs):
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2026-S 2563 — Sponsored by Sen. Linda L. Ujifusa (D-Dist. 11, Portsmouth, Bristol),the Prescription Drug Savings and Transparency Act of 2026 would direct the auditor general to conduct a study of the performance and cost-effectiveness of the state’s current prescription drug management for the Medicaid program, including the use of PBMs by Medicaid managed-care organizations.
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2026-S 3059 — This bill sponsored by Sen. Robert Britto (D-Dist. 18, East Providence, Pawtucket) would set accountability and transparency requirements for PBMs and establish new rules for their interactions with pharmacies.
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2026-S 3060 — Sponsored by Sen. Peter A. Appollonio Jr. (D-Dist. 29, Warwick), this bill would establish a process for PBMs to obtain individual certificates of authority from the Department of Business Regulation to operate in Rhode Island.
Both meetings will be televised by Capitol Television on Cox channels 15 and 61 for high definition; i3Broadband (Formerly Full Channel) channel 15; and Verizon channel 34. Senate committee hearings may also air on Channel 75 for Cox Subscribers. Livestreaming is available at https://capitoltvri.cablecast.tv.
Written testimony may be emailed to SLegislation@rilegislature.gov and must be submitted prior to 3 p.m. the day of the applicable hearing in order for it to be provided to the members of the committee at the hearing and to be included in the meeting records. It will be considered a public record.
For more information, contact:
Greg Pare, Director of Communications for the Senate
State House Room 112
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 276-5558
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