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SB 2753

AN ACT RELATING TO MILITARY AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE -- RHODE ISLAND VETERANS HOME STAFFING SUPPORT ACT OF 2026

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Pete Appollonio and 9 co-sponsors

Assess and fix staffing at the Rhode Island Veterans Home by analyzing wages, recruitment, barriers, and capacity to reopen beds and guide FY2027 budget changes.

05/26/2026 Proposed Substitute
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Bill Summary · SB 2753

Summary of SB 2753 (Rhode Island) – Rhode Island Veterans Home Staffing Support Act of 2026

Purpose and intent

  • Establishes the Rhode Island Veterans Home Staffing Support Act of 2026 to address staffing shortages at the Rhode Island Veterans Home in Bristol, a state-operated long-term care facility.
  • Aims to analyze workforce factors, identify wage and recruitment/policy changes, and support the facility in operating closer to its licensed capacity while maintaining licensure requirements and resident care standards.
  • Provides a framework for implementing corrective actions and updating job classifications/pay scales to achieve full operational capacity.

Key provisions

1) Workforce analysis (30-34-1)

  • The Department of Administration (as coordinating agency) must conduct a comprehensive workforce analysis of the veterans home.
  • Agencies to be involved: Department of Health, Office of Veterans Services, and the administrator of the Rhode Island Veterans Home.
  • Timing: Analysis must be completed within 60 days after the act’s effective date.
  • Topics to be addressed:
    • Wage competitiveness for all job classifications compared to similar facilities statewide and in neighboring states.
    • Shift differentials, recruitment incentives, retention patterns, vacancy rates, and related indicators.
    • Barriers to recruitment/retention, including transportation, commuting distances, and housing affordability.
    • Scheduling flexibility, career advancement pathways, and professional development supports.
    • Bed capacity issues: licensed vs. operational beds, staffing levels needed to safely open more beds, reasons for bed closures, and impact on access, waitlists, and per-resident cost.
    • Regulatory and personnel standards (state and federal), including applicable public employee benchmarks and nursing-facility staffing requirements (e.g., 42 C.F.R. Part 483).

2) Corrective action plan (30-34-1)

  • Within 45 days of completing the workforce analysis, the Department of Administration must submit a corrective action plan (in consultation with the listed agencies).
  • Plan contents:
    • Required wage/benefit adjustments, hiring incentives, and recruitment/retention strategies.
    • Recommended job classifications or pay grade changes (for consideration under 30-34-2).
    • Proposed implementation timeline, noting any items requiring legislative appropriation or collective-bargaining actions.
    • Recommendation (with DH, if applicable) on which closed beds may be safely reopened and a proposed reopening schedule, contingent on funding.
    • Any additional administrative or regulatory actions needed for implementing job classification updates.

3) Job classification review and updates (30-34-2)

  • The Department of Administration will review and update job classifications/pay grades for veterans home positions to help reach full operational capacity.
  • The updates will be informed by the corrective action plan.
  • Timeline: Complete and publish updated classifications by November 15, 2026, for inclusion in the FY 2027 budget proposal.
  • Legislative submission: Updated classifications and fiscal implications to be provided to Senate Finance, House Finance, and relevant policy committees by November 25, 2026.
  • Scope: Changes are specific to the Rhode Island Veterans Home; they do not automatically apply across all state employees.
  • Collective bargaining: Does not override existing rights; any broader statewide changes require separate processes under applicable law and negotiations.

4) Reporting and fiscal implementation (30-34-3)

  • Public reporting: The workforce analysis and corrective action plan must be publicly available upon submission and transmitted to the Auditor General.
  • Fiscal implementation: Any plan requiring state funds must be approved through the annual budget or applicable appropriations processes.

5) Effective date

  • The act takes effect upon passage.

Affected entities and potential impact

  • Primary: Rhode Island Department of Administration (lead), Rhode Island Department of Health, Office of Veterans Services, and the Rhode Island Veterans Home administration.
  • Indirectly affects: Rhode Island veterans residing at the Bristol home, staff (nurses, CNAs, support staff), and state budget/appropriations processes.
  • Potential impacts include improved wage competitiveness, targeted recruitment/retention strategies, capacity restoration (reopen closed beds if feasible and funded), and updated job classifications to reflect staffing needs and costs.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Analysis due 60 days after enactment.
  • Corrective action plan due 45 days after completion of analysis.
  • Classification updates published by November 15, 2026; legislative transmission by November 25, 2026.
  • Act takes effect on passage.
  • Public reporting and budgetary alignment required for any funded recommendations.

Summary assessment

SB 2753 focuses on systematically diagnosing and addressing staffing challenges at the Rhode Island Veterans Home through a structured, government-wide review of wages, recruitment/retention, housing/commuting barriers, and capacity constraints. It establishes concrete reporting milestones and ties staffing improvements to potential bed reopenings and the FY 2027 budget process, while preserving existing collective bargaining rights and state-wide classification processes.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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