WHEREAS, A parity bill that provided coverage for five (5) biologically ascertained mental illness conditions was passed by the general assembly and took effect on January 1, 1995 (reference chapter 27-38.2 of the Rhode Island general laws); and

WHEREAS, This is an area that all parties involved agree needs regulations, and the law is absolutely ineffective if no agency is designated to regulate it; and

WHEREAS, While the senate respects the fact that regulatory agencies in this state should maintain the control to promulgate their own rules and regulations, the senate also recognizes that no one is designated to enforce this area of law; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this senate of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations most emphatically requests that the department of business regulation carry out its responsibility to enforce this statute and, if there are no rules and regulations in place by January 1, 1997, this senate will revisit this issue at that time and mandate enforcement by statute; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the secretary of state be and he hereby is authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the director of the department of business regulation.