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SR 3057

SENATE RESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO MAKE A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF RHODE ISLAND'S HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE RELATED TO EDUCATING AND RETAINING PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Alana DiMario and 9 co-sponsors

Creates a special commission to study and fund Rhode Island’s primary care education, retention, and access, aiming to ensure universal access to a usual source of care.

05/21/2026 Senate read and passed
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Bill Summary · SR 3057

Summary of SR 3057 (Rhode Island, 2026)

Purpose and intent

  • Create a special legislative commission to conduct a comprehensive study of Rhode Island’s healthcare workforce with a focus on educating and retaining primary care providers.
  • The commission aims to identify gaps and propose ongoing strategies to ensure Rhode Islanders have access to a usual source of care, addressing shortages and retention in primary care.

Key provisions and changes proposed

  • Establishment of a 17-member Special Legislative Commission:
    • Senate appointees: 4 members
    • House appointee: 1 member (though the text notes appointments by the President of the Senate for some positions; the House appointment is implied in the composition)
    • Ex officio and representative positions (designees or presidents/leadership of organizations) including:
    • Dean of the University of Rhode Island School of Medicine (or designee)
    • Dean of Brown University School of Medicine (or designee)
    • President of the Nurse Practitioner Alliance of Rhode Island (or designee)
    • President of the Rhode Island Academy of Physician Assistants (or designee)
    • President of the Rhode Island Pharmacist Association (or designee)
    • Executive Director of the Rhode Island Medical Society (or designee)
    • Executive Director of the Care Transformation Collaborative Rhode Island (or designee)
    • Representative from community health centers (appointed by Senate President)
    • Representative of community nonprofits (appointed by Senate President)
    • Two representatives of community expertise in primary care (appointed by Senate President)
  • Scope of study and reporting:
    • Develop recommendations for establishing and financing sufficient primary care graduate medical education resources in Rhode Island, leveraging the state’s community health center network.
    • Produce an annual report on:
    • Rhode Islanders’ access to a usual source of care
    • The number and distribution of primary care clinicians practicing in the state
    • The number of clinicians entering and leaving practice in Rhode Island
    • Recommendations to ensure universal access to a usual source of care
    • Produce an annual report on the status of Rhode Island’s primary care institutional and clinical education resources and the programs supporting these students financially.
  • Operations:
    • Members to be appointed promptly after passage; the Senate President will appoint a chair.
    • Vacancies to be filled in the same manner as original appointments.
    • Members serve without compensation.
    • State departments and agencies to provide necessary information and support.
    • The Commission may receive an annual budget for its functions.
    • The Joint Committee on Legislative Services to provide suitable quarters.
    • The Commission to be ongoing, with annual recommendations delivered to the President of the Senate.

Who would be affected

  • Primary care workforce participants in Rhode Island (physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, etc.).
  • Medical education and training institutions in the state (URI College of Medicine, Brown University Medical School, residency programs, and related education resources).
  • Community health centers, community nonprofits, and organizational stakeholders involved in primary care delivery and workforce development.
  • Rhode Island residents, who would be the ultimate beneficiaries of improved access to primary care.

Procedural and timeline considerations

  • Introduction and referral:
    • Introduced March 12, 2026; referred to Senate Health & Human Services.
  • Action history:
    • March 20, 2026: Scheduled for hearing/consideration.
    • March 24, 2026: Committee recommended the measure be held for further study.
    • May 12, 2026: Scheduled for consideration (indicates ongoing status and potential movement).
  • Implementation:
    • Upon passage, rapid appointment of commission members and immediate organization.
    • Annual reporting requirement to the Senate President, with ongoing recommendations rolled out yearly.
  • Financials:
    • Commission may be allocated a budget; no compensation for members.

Potential impact and significance

  • Provides a structured, multi-stakeholder mechanism to address Rhode Island’s primary care workforce challenges.
  • Aims to grow and sustain primary care capacity through enhanced graduate medical education, improved financing, and better retention pipelines.
  • Seeks to improve Rhode Island residents' access to a usual source of care by tracking and addressing provider distribution and practice dynamics.
  • Encourages collaboration among medical schools, professional associations, community health centers, and community organizations to align education and workforce strategies with population health needs.

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

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