2018 -- H 7928

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LC004797

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY - MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICES

     Introduced By: Representative Katherine S. Kazarian

     Date Introduced: March 07, 2018

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 23-13-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-13 entitled "Maternal

and Child Health Services for Children with Special Health Care Needs" is hereby repealed.

     23-13-3. Appropriations by cities and towns.

     Any city or town may annually appropriate a sum to be expended for the promotion of

the welfare and hygiene of maternity and infancy in that city or town, under the supervision of

and in cooperation with the state department of health, and that city or town may provide that any

appropriation may be expended by the state department of health or under the joint supervision of

the department and an officer or agent appointed by that city or town to co-operate with the

department in carrying out the purposes of the appropriation.

     SECTION 2. Section 23-13-21 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-13 entitled "Maternal

and Child Health Services for Children with Special Health Care Needs" is hereby amended to

read as follows:

     23-13-21. Comprehensive reproductive health services.

     (a) The director of health is authorized and directed to establish a payor of last resort

program to cover the cost of outpatient family planning counseling and comprehensive

reproductive health services for men and women who are ineligible for Medicaid, lack health

insurance coverage for these services, and whose family's income is between one hundred percent

(100%) and one hundred eighty-five percent (185%) of the federal poverty level. The director

shall promulgate regulations to implement this program. These regulations shall include: specific

eligibility criteria, scope and standards for services to be covered, mechanisms for administration,

and service delivery.

     (a) Appropriations - Commencing in fiscal year 2019, the general assembly shall

annually appropriate to the department of health such sums as it may deem necessary to carry out

the purposes of this chapter. Authorization to pay for health care services specified in this chapter

shall be made by representatives of the department of health, and the state controller is hereby

authorized and directed to draw orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of such sum or

sums or so much thereof as may be required from time to time, upon the receipt by the state

controller of properly authenticated vouchers; provided, however, that the department of health

may enter into cooperative agreements for the transfer of funds to effectuate the purposes set

forth in this chapter.

     (b) It is the intent of the general assembly that the following services be provided through

this program:

     (1) Patient education and counseling on options for timing and spacing pregnancy;

     (2) Comprehensive medical services to prevent and control the spread of sexually

transmitted diseases;

     (3) Access to safe and effective methods of contraception.

     (c) Excluded services will include but not be limited to elective abortion, elective

hysterectomy, infertility related services, and other non-family planning procedures. No funds

shall be expended to support school-based clinics dispensing contraceptive methods.

     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY - MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICES

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     This act would require the general assembly to annually appropriate such sums as it

deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter commencing in fiscal year 2019.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC004797

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