2025 -- H 5083
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LC000120
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
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A N A C T
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- AUTOMATED EXTERNAL D EFIBRILLATORS
REQUIRED AT PUBLIC PLACES AND HEALTHCARE FACILITIES
Introduced By: Representatives Fellela, Serpa, Messier, Corvese, Ackerman, and
Caldwell
Date Introduced: January 16, 2025
Referred To: House Health & Human Services
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 23-6.5-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-6.5 entitled "Automated 1
External Defibrillators Required at Public Places and Healthcare Facilities" is hereby amended to 2
read as follows: 3
23-6.5-4. Definitions. 4
The following definitions govern the construction of this chapter: 5
(1) “Healthcare facility” means any healthcare facility licensed by the department of health 6
including any institutional health-service provider, facility, or institution, place, building, agency, 7
or portion thereof, whether a partnership or corporation, whether public or private, whether 8
organized for profit or not, used, operated, or engaged in providing healthcare services, including, 9
but not limited to: hospitals; nursing facilities; rehabilitation centers; kidney disease treatment 10
centers; health maintenance organizations; and facilities providing surgical treatment to patients 11
not requiring hospitalization (surgi-centers); hospice care; and physician ambulatory-surgery 12
centers and podiatry ambulatory-surgery centers providing surgical treatment. The term “healthcare 13
facility” also includes organized ambulatory-care facilities that are not part of a hospital but that 14
are organized and operated to provide healthcare services to outpatients, such as: central-services 15
facilities serving more than one healthcare facility or healthcare provider; treatment centers; 16
diagnostic centers; outpatient clinics; infirmaries and health centers; school-based health centers; 17
and neighborhood health centers. The term “healthcare facility” also includes a practitioner’s 18
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(physician, dentist, or other healthcare provider) office or group of practitioners’ offices (whether 1
owned and/or operated by a hospital or an affiliate of a hospital or an individual practitioner, alone 2
or as a member of a partnership, professional service corporation, organization, or association). 3
(2) “Public place” means an enclosed area capable of holding three hundred (300) people 4
or more and to which the public is invited or in which the public is permitted, including, but not 5
limited to: banks; bars; educational facilities; laundromats; public or private golf courses; public 6
transportation facilities; reception areas; restaurants; retail food production and marketing 7
establishments; retail service establishments; retail stores; shopping malls; sports arenas; 8
government offices; theaters; and waiting rooms. A private residence is not a “public place” unless 9
it is used as a childcare or adult daycare facility. 10
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 11
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS
REQUIRED AT PUBLIC PLACES AND HEALTHCARE FACILITIES
***
This act would require public or private golf courses to have an automated external 1
defibrillator on the premises. 2
This act would take effect upon passage. 3
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