2023 -- H 6401

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LC002952

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE

RECOMMENDATIONS AND COMMENTS FOR HEALTHCARE LIABILITY REFORM

     Introduced By: Representatives Craven, Caldwell, and McGaw

     Date Introduced: May 12, 2023

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     WHEREAS, The health and safety of the public are affected by ready access to quality

healthcare. Presently, the healthcare industry is experiencing unprecedented financial challenges

and historic staffing shortages; and

     WHEREAS, The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projects a total

physician shortage of between 37,800 and 124,000 by 2034, which is comprised of a shortage of

between 17,800 and 48,000 primary care physicians and 21,000 and 77,100 non-primary care

specialty physicians; and

     WHEREAS, The AAMC concluded that, in 2021, Rhode Island had the seventh lowest

rate of physicians retained from undergraduate medical education and fourth lowest rate of

retention of physicians from graduate medical education in the United States; and

     WHEREAS, In the midst of the many challenges limiting healthcare staffing and

retention in Rhode Island, professional liability exposure is rapidly increasing and adversely

impacting the healthcare environment in Rhode Island, eroding the interest of healthcare

professionals to practice their professions in Rhode Island and threatening the financial stability

of Rhode Island hospitals and health systems that provide vital healthcare infrastructure critical to

the health and safety of Rhode Island; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created

consisting of fifteen (15) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the House of

Representatives, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the

Speaker of the House; three (3) of whom shall be members of the Hospital Association of Rhode

Island (HARI), to be appointed by the Executive Director of HARI; one of whom shall be the

Director of the Rhode Island Medical Society, or designee; one of whom shall be the designee of

the Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association, to be appointed by of the Director of the

RI Department of Business Regulation; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of the

Rhode Island Association for Justice, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of

the Defense Counsel of Rhode Island, or designee; one of whom shall be the CEO of Lifespan, or

designee; one of whom shall be the President of Care New England Health System, or designee;

one of whom shall be the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, or designee; one of

whom shall be the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulations, Division of

Insurance, or designee; and one of whom shall be the Rhode Island Attorney General, or

designee.

     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a legislative study

commission, created by a General Assembly resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a

member of the general public to serve in lieu of a legislator; provided that, the majority leader or

the minority leader of the political party which is entitled to the appointment consents to the

member of the general public.

     The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study of the impact of

medical professional liability on the medical workforce and the accessibility of quality healthcare

in Rhode Island and to provide recommendations for amendments and additions to the Rhode

Island General Laws to curtail the negative impact of significant professional liability risk on the

medical workforce and the continued access to healthcare in this State.

     Upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at the call of

the Speaker of the House and organize and shall select, from among the legislators, a

Chairperson.

     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

     The Speaker of the House is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters

for said commission; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the

House of Representatives on or before January 15, 2024, and said commission shall expire on

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April 15, 2024.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE

RECOMMENDATIONS AND COMMENTS FOR HEALTHCARE LIABILITY REFORM

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     This resolution creates a 15 member legislative commission to study and provide

recommendations and annotations for healthcare liability reform in Rhode Island, and would

report back to the House by January 15, 2024, and would expire on April 15, 2024.

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