2023 -- H 6401
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
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 PROV IDE
RECOMMENDATIONS AND COMMENTS FOR HEALTHC ARE 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 1
healthcare. Presently, the healthcare industry is experiencing unprecedented financial challenges 2
and historic staffing shortages; and 3
WHEREAS, The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projects a total 4
physician shortage of between 37,800 and 124,000 by 2034, which is comprised of a shortage of 5
between 17,800 and 48,000 primary care physicians and 21,000 and 77,100 non-primary care 6
specialty physicians; and 7
WHEREAS, The AAMC concluded that, in 2021, Rhode Island had the seventh lowest 8
rate of physicians retained from undergraduate medical education and fourth lowest rate of 9
retention of physicians from graduate medical education in the United States; and 10
WHEREAS, In the midst of the many challenges limiting healthcare staffing and 11
retention in Rhode Island, professional liability exposure is rapidly increasing and adversely 12
impacting the healthcare environment in Rhode Island, eroding the interest of healthcare 13
professionals to practice their professions in Rhode Island and threatening the financial stability 14
of Rhode Island hospitals and health systems that provide vital healthcare infrastructure critical to 15
the health and safety of Rhode Island; now, therefore be it 16
RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created 17
consisting of fifteen (15) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the House of 18
Representatives, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the 19
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Speaker of the House; three (3) of whom shall be members of the Hospital Association of Rhode 1
Island (HARI), to be appointed by the Executive Director of HARI; one of whom shall be the 2
Director of the Rhode Island Medical Society, or designee; one of whom shall be the designee of 3
the Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association, to be appointed by of the Director of the 4
RI Department of Business Regulation; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of the 5
Rhode Island Association for Justice, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of 6
the Defense Counsel of Rhode Island, or designee; one of whom shall be the CEO of Lifespan, or 7
designee; one of whom shall be the President of Care New England Health System, or designee; 8
one of whom shall be the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, or designee; one of 9
whom shall be the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulations, Division of 10
Insurance, or designee; and one of whom shall be the Rhode Island Attorney General, or 11
designee. 12
In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a legislative study 13
commission, created by a General Assembly resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a 14
member of the general public to serve in lieu of a legislator; provided that, the majority leader or 15
the minority leader of the political party which is entitled to the appointment consents to the 16
member of the general public. 17
The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study of the impact of 18
medical professional liability on the medical workforce and the accessibility of quality healthcare 19
in Rhode Island and to provide recommendations for amendments and additions to the Rhode 20
Island General Laws to curtail the negative impact of significant professional liability risk on the 21
medical workforce and the continued access to healthcare in this State. 22
Upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at the call of 23
the Speaker of the House and organize and shall select, from among the legislators, a 24
Chairperson. 25
Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment. 26
The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services. 27
All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information, 28
documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or 29
desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution. 30
The Speaker of the House is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters 31
for said commission; and be it further 32
RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the 33
House of Representatives on or before January 15, 2024, and said commission shall expire on 34
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April 15, 2024. 1
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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 HEALTHC ARE LIABILITY REFORM
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This resolution creates a 15 member legislative commission to study and provide 1
recommendations and annotations for healthcare liability reform in Rhode Island, and would 2
report back to the House by January 15, 2024, and would expire on April 15, 2024. 3
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