Rhode Island 2026 Session Status: Passed House Bipartisan · 9 D · 1 R cosponsors

HB 8545 — AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- RHODE ISLAND PROGRAM TO ADDRESS ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Last action — 06/09/2026 Referred to Senate Health and Human Services

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has passed the House. Introduced May 13, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the Senate.

Odds of enactment

Moderate chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a moderate chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 74% · high confidence

  • Passed House

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 10 sponsors

    10 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (9 D · 1 R) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

In plain language

The bill requires healthcare providers to complete training on cognitive impairments.

This legislation mandates that licensed physician assistants, physicians, and nurses complete at least one hour of training on diagnosing and treating cognitive impairments during each license renewal. This training aims to improve the care of patients with conditions like Alzheimer's Disease.

What this means for you
  • Healthcare: Healthcare providers will need to complete additional training on cognitive impairments to maintain their licenses.

Summary

Amends law to include all licensed physician assistants with licensed physicians and nurses required, each license renewal period, to complete a minimum of 1 hour of instruction on the diagnosis treatment, and care of patients with cognitive impairments.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. 06/09/2026 Referred to Senate Health and Human Services

  2. 06/09/2026 House passed as amended (floor amendment)

  3. 06/08/2026 Placed on House Calendar (06/09/2026)

  4. 06/08/2026 Committee recommends passage

  5. 06/05/2026 Scheduled for consideration (06/08/2026)

  6. 05/28/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study

  7. 05/22/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (05/28/2026)

  8. 05/13/2026 Introduced, referred to House Health & Human Services

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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10 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 104 not signed on

Sponsors (10)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (104)

104 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 104 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

AS AMENDED

Passed 70 Yea · 0 Nay · 5 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 56005
Independent 1000
Republican 10000
Unaffiliated 3000
Total 70005
% of votes cast 93%0%0%7%
How each member voted (75)
Member Party Vote
Mr. Speaker — Yea
O'Brien — Yea
ShallcrossSmith — Yea
Alex Finkelman Democratic Yea
Alex Marszalkowski Democratic Yea
Anthony J. DeSimone Democratic Yea
Arthur Handy Democratic Yea
Arthur J. Corvese Democratic Yea
Brandon C. Potter Democratic Yea
Brandon T. Voas Democratic Yea
Brian Patrick Kennedy Democratic Yea
Carol Hagan McEntee Democratic Yea
Charlene M. Lima Democratic Yea
Cherie L. Cruz Democratic Yea
David A. Bennett Democratic Yea
David Morales Democratic Not Voting
Deborah A. Fellela Democratic Yea
Earl A. Read, III Democratic Yea
Edith H. Ajello Democratic Yea
Enrique George Sanchez Democratic Yea
Evan P. Shanley Democratic Yea
Grace Diaz Democratic Yea
Gregory J. Costantino Democratic Yea
Jacquelyn M. Baginski Democratic Not Voting
Jason Knight Democratic Not Voting
Jenni A. Furtado Democratic Yea
Jennifer A. Stewart Democratic Yea
Jennifer Smith Boylan Democratic Yea
John G. Edwards Democratic Yea
John J. Lombardi Democratic Yea
Jose F. Batista Democratic Yea
Joseph J. Solomon, Jr. Democratic Yea
Joseph M. McNamara Democratic Yea
Joshua J. Giraldo Democratic Yea
Julie A. Casimiro Democratic Yea
June Speakman Democratic Yea
Justine A. Caldwell Democratic Yea
K. Joseph Shekarchi Democratic Not Voting
Karen Alzate Democratic Yea
Katherine S. Kazarian Democratic Yea
Kathleen A. Fogarty Democratic Yea
Lauren H. Carson Democratic Yea
Leonela Felix Democratic Yea
Marvin L. Abney Democratic Yea
Mary Duffy Messier Democratic Yea
Matt S. Dawson Democratic Yea
Megan L. Cotter Democratic Yea
Mia A. Ackerman Democratic Yea
Michelle E. McGaw Democratic Yea
Nathan W. Biah Democratic Yea
Patricia A. Serpa Democratic Yea
Ramon A. Perez Democratic Not Voting
Raymond A. Hull Democratic Yea
Rebecca M. Kislak Democratic Yea
Robert D. Phillips Democratic Yea
Robert E. Craven, Sr. Democratic Yea
Samuel A. Azzinaro Democratic Yea
Scott A. Slater Democratic Yea
Stephen M. Casey Democratic Yea
Susan R. Donovan Democratic Yea
Teresa Ann Tanzi Democratic Yea
Terri Cortvriend Democratic Yea
Thomas E. Noret Democratic Yea
Tina L. Spears Democratic Yea
Jon D. Brien Independent Yea
Brian C. Newberry Republican Yea
Christopher G. Paplauskas Republican Yea
David J. Place Republican Yea
George A Nardone Republican Yea
Marie A. Hopkins Republican Yea
Michael W. Chippendale Republican Yea
Paul M. Santucci Republican Yea
Richard R. Fascia Republican Yea
Robert J. Quattrocchi Republican Yea
Sherry Roberts Republican Yea

Official roll call →

PASSAGE OF AMENDMENT

Passed 68 Yea · 0 Nay · 7 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 55006
Independent 1000
Republican 9001
Unaffiliated 3000
Total 68007
% of votes cast 91%0%0%9%
How each member voted (75)
Member Party Vote
Mr. Speaker — Yea
O'Brien — Yea
ShallcrossSmith — Yea
Alex Finkelman Democratic Yea
Alex Marszalkowski Democratic Yea
Anthony J. DeSimone Democratic Yea
Arthur Handy Democratic Yea
Arthur J. Corvese Democratic Yea
Brandon C. Potter Democratic Yea
Brandon T. Voas Democratic Yea
Brian Patrick Kennedy Democratic Yea
Carol Hagan McEntee Democratic Yea
Charlene M. Lima Democratic Yea
Cherie L. Cruz Democratic Yea
David A. Bennett Democratic Yea
David Morales Democratic Not Voting
Deborah A. Fellela Democratic Yea
Earl A. Read, III Democratic Yea
Edith H. Ajello Democratic Yea
Enrique George Sanchez Democratic Yea
Evan P. Shanley Democratic Yea
Grace Diaz Democratic Yea
Gregory J. Costantino Democratic Yea
Jacquelyn M. Baginski Democratic Not Voting
Jason Knight Democratic Not Voting
Jenni A. Furtado Democratic Yea
Jennifer A. Stewart Democratic Yea
Jennifer Smith Boylan Democratic Yea
John G. Edwards Democratic Yea
John J. Lombardi Democratic Yea
Jose F. Batista Democratic Yea
Joseph J. Solomon, Jr. Democratic Yea
Joseph M. McNamara Democratic Yea
Joshua J. Giraldo Democratic Yea
Julie A. Casimiro Democratic Yea
June Speakman Democratic Yea
Justine A. Caldwell Democratic Yea
K. Joseph Shekarchi Democratic Not Voting
Karen Alzate Democratic Yea
Katherine S. Kazarian Democratic Yea
Kathleen A. Fogarty Democratic Yea
Lauren H. Carson Democratic Yea
Leonela Felix Democratic Not Voting
Marvin L. Abney Democratic Yea
Mary Duffy Messier Democratic Yea
Matt S. Dawson Democratic Yea
Megan L. Cotter Democratic Yea
Mia A. Ackerman Democratic Yea
Michelle E. McGaw Democratic Yea
Nathan W. Biah Democratic Yea
Patricia A. Serpa Democratic Yea
Ramon A. Perez Democratic Not Voting
Raymond A. Hull Democratic Yea
Rebecca M. Kislak Democratic Yea
Robert D. Phillips Democratic Yea
Robert E. Craven, Sr. Democratic Yea
Samuel A. Azzinaro Democratic Yea
Scott A. Slater Democratic Yea
Stephen M. Casey Democratic Yea
Susan R. Donovan Democratic Yea
Teresa Ann Tanzi Democratic Yea
Terri Cortvriend Democratic Yea
Thomas E. Noret Democratic Yea
Tina L. Spears Democratic Yea
Jon D. Brien Independent Yea
Brian C. Newberry Republican Yea
Christopher G. Paplauskas Republican Yea
David J. Place Republican Yea
George A Nardone Republican Yea
Marie A. Hopkins Republican Not Voting
Michael W. Chippendale Republican Yea
Paul M. Santucci Republican Yea
Richard R. Fascia Republican Yea
Robert J. Quattrocchi Republican Yea
Sherry Roberts Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety healthcare
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Frequently asked questions

What does HB 8545 do?
Amends law to include all licensed physician assistants with licensed physicians and nurses required, each license renewal period, to complete a minimum of 1 hour of instruction on the diagnosis treatment, and care of patients with cognitive impairments.
Who sponsors HB 8545?
HB 8545 is sponsored by Edith H. Ajello (Democratic), Grace Diaz (Democratic), Patricia A. Serpa (Democratic), Deborah A. Fellela (Democratic), Susan R. Donovan (Democratic), Brian C. Newberry (Republican), Brian Patrick Kennedy (Democratic), Joseph M. McNamara (Democratic), Mia A. Ackerman (Democratic), and Mary Ann Shallcross Smith (Democratic).
What is the current status of HB 8545?
This bill has passed the House. Introduced May 13, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track HB 8545?
Track HB 8545 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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