2023 -- H 6100

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LC001107

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT – DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES

     Introduced By: Representatives Morales, Sanchez, Potter, Speakman, and Giraldo

     Date Introduced: March 03, 2023

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 42-12 of the General Laws entitled "Department of Human Services"

is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     42-12-31. Temporary waiver from civil service exams.

     (a)(1) Due to the high increase in the need for the services of licensed human service

professionals and the shortage in the availability of or of access to such professionals, which need

has been exacerbated at least in part due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the department of human

services (the “department”) shall temporarily waive any civil service exams required by the

department to obtain a license from the department as a human services professional. This

temporary waiver shall be in effect from July 1, 2023, through to June 30, 2024.

     (2) The temporary waiver from civil service exams provided by this section shall only

apply to applicants for licensure from the department who meet all other requirements set by the

department for the license being sought. In such event, the department shall issue to such persons

a provisional one-year license. The department may suspend the provisional license for the same

reasons and conditions under which the department could suspend the license for a person who had

successfully completed the relevant civil service exam.

     (3) This temporary waiver shall exist only from July 1, 2023, through to June 30, 2024.

After June 30, 2024, any person granted a temporary waiver from a civil service exam pursuant to

this section shall be required to undertake any civil service exam required by the department as a

condition of licensure. Provided, the department may waive the licensure requirement if the

performance of the person granted the temporary waiver is of such a high caliber that the

department determines further licensure is unnecessary.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT – DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES

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     This act would provide that the department of human services would temporarily waive

any civil service exams required by the department to obtain a license from the department as a

human service professional. This waiver shall be in effect from July 1, 2023, through to June 30,

2024.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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