2025 -- H 5131
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LC000721
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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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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 TO A DDRESS CONCERNS IN THE DELIVERY OF
HEALTHCARE TO INMATE S AND INDIVIDUALS AWAITING TRIAL IN THE CUSTODY
OF THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF CORREC TIONS (RIDOC)
Introduced By: Representatives Perez, Noret, Finkelman, Azzinaro, Phillips, Slater,
Corvese, Handy, Voas, and DeSimone
Date Introduced: January 22, 2025
Referred To: House Judiciary
WHEREAS, RIDOC's mission “is to maintain a safe and secure correctional system that 1
prioritizes the well-being of staff, incarcerated individuals, and the community”; and 2
WHEREAS, The Health Care Services Unit is constitutionally mandated to provide 3
medical, dental, and behavioral health care to the incarcerated inmate population who are either 4
sentenced or awaiting trial within all facilities of RIDOC; and 5
WHEREAS, RIDOC has an on-site comprehensive medical program in each facility 6
provided by internists and generalists under the clinical supervision of the Medical Programs 7
Director; and 8
WHEREAS, In FY23, RIDOC included six Adult Correctional Institutions with an 9
average population of 2,298 inmates and 7,978 persons awaiting trial, with a significant number 10
requiring medical services, including mental health and psychiatric care, and treatment for 11
substance use disorders; and 12
WHEREAS, In 2023, between 5 and 10 percent of Rhode Island's prison population were 13
considered severely and persistently mentally ill; and 14
WHEREAS, As of January 2023, 44 percent of Rhode Island's prison population were 15
receiving psychiatric services, 31 percent were receiving mental health counseling, and 70 to 80 16
percent have histories of substance use; and 17
WHEREAS, RIDOC has faced issues with the delivery of healthcare, including limited 18
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access to mental health care and necessary substance use disorder treatments; and 1
WHEREAS, A lack of consistent and adequate medical treatment can have disastrous and 2
fatal consequences; now, therefore be it 3
RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created 4
consisting of nine (9) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the Rhode Island House 5
of Representatives, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the 6
Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be the Director of the Rhode Island Department of 7
Corrections, or designee; one of whom shall be the Medical Director of the Rhode Island 8
Department of Corrections, or designee; one of whom shall be the Rhode Island Attorney 9
General, or designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the Rhode Island Department of 10
Health, or designee; and two (2) of whom shall be representatives of an inmates’ rights group, to 11
be appointed by the Speaker of the House. 12
In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a legislative study 13
commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly resolution, the appointing 14
authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu of a legislator. 15
The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study and analysis of 16
the delivery of healthcare services at Rhode Island’s correctional institutions and provide 17
recommendations to address concerns and deficiencies in the delivery of these healthcare 18
services. 19
Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at 20
the call of the Speaker of the House and organize and shall select a chairperson. 21
Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment. 22
The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services. 23
All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information, 24
documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or 25
desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution. 26
The Speaker of the House is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters 27
for said commission; and be it further 28
RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the 29
House of Representatives no later than January 5, 2026, and said commission shall expire on 30
March 5, 2026. 31
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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 TO A DDRESS CONCERNS IN THE DELIVERY OF
HEALTHCARE TO INMATE S AND INDIVIDUALS AWAITING TRIAL IN THE CUSTODY
OF THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF CORREC TIONS (RIDOC)
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This resolution would create a nine (9) member special legislative study commission 1
whose purpose it would be to study and provide recommendations for improvements in the 2
delivery of health care services at RIDOC, and who would report back to the House no later than 3
January 5, 2026, and whose life would expire on March 5, 2026. 4
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