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H7030B
2026 -- H 7030 SUBSTITUTE B
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LC003152/SUB B
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- HEALTHCARE WORKER PLATFORM ACT
Introduced By:
Representatives Shanley, Craven, Caldwell, Bennett, Casimiro, Corvese,
Morales, Paplauskas, and Hopkins
Date Introduced:
January 09, 2026
Referred To:
House Health & Human Services
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Title 23 of the General Laws entitled "HEALTH AND SAFETY" is hereby
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amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
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CHAPTER 106
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HEALTHCARE WORKER PLATFORM ACT
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23-106-1. Title.
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This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Healthcare Worker Platform Act."
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23-106-2. Definitions.
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For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and terms have the following
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meanings:
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(a) “Healthcare worker platform" means any person, corporation, partnership, or
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association that operates or offers a platform. A “healthcare worker platform” is not considered a
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“nursing service agency” as defined in § 23-17.7.1-2.
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(b) “Platform” means an electronic platform, system, or application through which
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healthcare workers can accept one or more shifts to perform healthcare related services at a
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healthcare facility.
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(1) Notwithstanding any other provisions to the contrary, a healthcare worker platform
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shall be excluded from the definition of a “nursing service agency, as defined by § 23-17.1-2. To
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meet the definition of a platform, a healthcare worker platform shall not:
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(i) Require a healthcare worker to work any specific shifts or specific number of shifts at a
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healthcare facility;
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(ii) Restrict a healthcare worker from engaging in any other occupation or business or from
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working at a healthcare facility, with any nursing service agency, or through any other healthcare
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worker platform; or
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(iii) Allow healthcare workers to accept any shifts to perform healthcare related services
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from home nursing care providers, home care providers, or hospices licensed in this state.
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23-106-3. Licensure of healthcare worker platforms.
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(a) No person shall establish, conduct, or maintain a healthcare worker platform in this
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state without a license issued pursuant to this chapter in accordance with § 23-106-4(c).
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(b) Any person establishing, conducting, managing, or operating a healthcare worker
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platform without a license under this chapter shall be fined not more than five thousand dollars
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($5,000) or imprisoned not more than one year or both, in the discretion of the court, for each
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offense in accordance with § 23-106-4(c).
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23-106-4. Rules and regulations.
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(a) The director of the department of health shall promulgate rules and regulations to carry
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out the intent of this chapter.
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(b) The department of health may assess an annual licensure fee of one thousand dollars
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($1,000) per license.
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(c) After September 1, 2027, or by the date the department of health has set for licensure
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of healthcare worker platforms pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, whichever is later, no
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healthcare worker platform shall operate a platform in this state, unless it is licensed pursuant to
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this section.
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23-106-5. Minimum worker and patient protections.
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(a) Every healthcare worker platform licensed pursuant to this chapter shall ensure that all
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healthcare workers utilizing the platform meet the following standards:
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(1) Criminal background checks. Completion of a national fingerprint-based criminal
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background check, including disqualifying offenses, in accordance with § 23-106-10 of this
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chapter. A healthcare worker who books shifts through a healthcare worker platform shall be able
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to receive a background check in accordance with chapter 17.7.1 of title 23, and a healthcare worker
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platform shall be able to apply to the bureau of criminal identification of the department of attorney
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general for a national criminal records check as specified in chapter 17.7.1 of title 23, even if the
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healthcare worker platform is not the employer of the healthcare worker.
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(2) Credential and competency verification.
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(i) Every individual who provides healthcare services shall be required to hold an active
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registration of license in good standing issued by the department of health as required by chapter
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17.9 of this title ("registration of nursing assistants") or by chapters 19.1 ("pharmacies"), 29
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("podiatrists"), 30 ("chiropractic physicians"), 31.1 ("dentists and dental hygienists"), 34 ("nurses"),
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34.2 ("nurse anesthetists"), 35.1 ("optometrists"), 37 ("board of medical licensure and discipline"),
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40 (physical therapists), 54 "(physician assistants"), 96 ("occupational therapy licensure compact")
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of title 5.
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(iii) No certified nursing assistant shall be allowed to book a shift on a healthcare worker
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platform until the requisite training in subsection (a)(3)(ii) of this section has been certified as
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completed.
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(3) Training and/or competency evaluation program for nursing assistants.
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(i) An educational program for nursing assistants who book shifts through a healthcare
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worker platform shall be required, which the healthcare worker platform must certify has been
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completed for each nursing assistant who books shifts though the healthcare worker platform. The
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educational program shall include orientation and periodic programs at least quarterly for a
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minimum of three (3) hours for the continued improvement and development of skills of nursing
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assistants, including competency training and required training based on licensure.
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(4) Health and vaccination standards. Compliance with all applicable department of health
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requirements for healthcare personnel, including immunizations, tuberculosis screening, and
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infection control standards.
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(5) Insurance coverage. Maintenance of occupational accident insurance coverage or
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verification that healthcare workers are covered by worker’s compensation insurance applicable to
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any work performed during a shift the healthcare worker schedules through the platform and
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maintenance of general and professional liability insurance, in amounts determined by the
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department of business regulation in accordance with § 42-14.1-2.
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(b) A healthcare worker platform shall be deemed the responsible entity for ensuring
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compliance with this section, regardless of any contractual or employment classification of the
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healthcare worker.
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23-106-6. Requirements and prohibitions.
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(a) A healthcare worker platform shall never require the payment of liquidated damages,
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employment fees, or other compensation by a healthcare worker or healthcare facility that posts
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shift on the healthcare worker platform if a healthcare facility that posts shifts on the healthcare
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worker platform hires a healthcare worker who books shifts through the healthcare worker platform
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as a permanent employee of a healthcare facility.
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(b) A healthcare worker platform shall not actively recruit potential contractors from a
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healthcare facility to which it has an active contract.
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(c) A healthcare worker platform shall maintain compliance with maximum allowable rates
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or markups established by the department of health at the rates indicated in § 23-17.7.1-10(b).
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23-106-7. Inspections and investigations.
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(a) The department of health shall make or cause to be made any inspections and
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investigations that it deems necessary, including service records. Those service records shall
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include, but are not limited to, the following:
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(1) Records of required health examination which shall be kept confidential as well as all
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required medical records, including COVID-19 testing results and all required vaccinations
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required by the department of health; and
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(2) Documents for each healthcare worker who books shifts on the healthcare worker
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platform, including documented evidence of credentials and other appropriate data, including,
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records of completion of required training and educational programs, medical records, and criminal
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background checks.
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(b) Records of violations of public health code by all healthcare workers who book shifts
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on healthcare worker platforms shall be tracked and made a public record. A healthcare worker
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platform shall maintain records of violations of public health code when the violations occurred
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during the shifts booked by healthcare workers through the healthcare worker platform.
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(c) The long-term care coordinating council (LTCC) shall develop standards for healthcare
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worker platforms and a ranking formula to track all healthcare worker platforms for public
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accountability.
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23-106-8. Annual reporting requirements.
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(a) Each healthcare worker platform shall submit an annual statistical report to the
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department of health including, but not limited to, the following:
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(1) Mean, median, and average pay rates by the healthcare worker platform of healthcare
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workers, by profession, in the state;
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(2) Number of healthcare workers who booked shifts through the healthcare worker
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platform in the state;
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(3) Number of healthcare workers who have booked shifts through the healthcare worker
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platform in the state who have been deactivated;
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(4) Number of healthcare workers who have booked shifts through the healthcare worker
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platform in the state reported to the office of the attorney general;
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(5) Number of healthcare workers who have booked shifts through the healthcare worker
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platform in the state reported to the department of health for abuse, neglect, misappropriation, and
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job abandonment;
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(6) The amounts charged to healthcare facilities for shifts worked by a healthcare worker
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in the state without facility identifying information; and
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(7) Any other information that the department of health determines relevant to determine
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how much healthcare facilities who participate in Medicare and Medicaid are charged by healthcare
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worker platforms.
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23-106-9. Anti-evasion.
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No healthcare worker platform shall structure its operations, contracts, or worker
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classifications for the purpose of avoiding the requirements of chapter 17.7.1 of title 23.
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23-106-10. Criminal records review.
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(a) Any healthcare worker seeking to register with a platform shall undergo a national
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criminal records check that shall include fingerprints submitted to the Federal Bureau of
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Investigation (FBI) by the bureau of criminal identification of the department of attorney general.
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The national criminal records check shall be initiated prior to accepting any shift.
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(b) The director of the department of health may, by rule, identify those positions requiring
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national criminal records checks. The healthcare worker, through the platform, shall apply to the
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bureau of criminal identification of the department of attorney general for a national criminal
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records check. Upon the discovery of any disqualifying information as defined in § 23-17.7.1-20,
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and in accordance with the rule promulgated by the director of the department of health, the bureau
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of criminal identification of the department of attorney general will inform the applicant, in writing,
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of the nature of the disqualifying information; and, without disclosing the nature of the
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disqualifying information, will notify the platform, in writing, that disqualifying information has
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been discovered.
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(c) A healthcare worker against whom disqualifying information under § 23-17.7.1-20(b)
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has been found may provide a copy of the national criminal records check to the platform who shall
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make a judgment regarding the registration of the healthcare worker with the platform.
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(d) In those situations, in which no disqualifying information has been found, the bureau
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of criminal identification of department of attorney general shall inform the healthcare worker and
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the platform, in writing, of this fact.
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(e) The platform shall maintain on file, subject to inspection by the department of health,
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evidence that national criminal records checks have been initiated on all healthcare workers seeking
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to register with the platform, and the results of those checks. Failure to maintain that evidence
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would be grounds to revoke the license of the platform.
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(f) The healthcare worker or the platform shall be responsible for the cost of conducting
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the national criminal records check through the bureau of criminal identification of the department
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of attorney general.
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23-106-11. Judicial review of license action.
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Any person who has exhausted all administrative remedies available to him or her within
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the department of health, and who is aggrieved by a final decision of the department of health, is
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entitled to judicial review in accordance with the provisions of §§ 42-35-15 and 42-35-16.
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23-106-12. Power of enforcement.
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The director of the department of health shall have power to enforce the provisions of this
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chapter.
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23-106-13. Severability.
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If any provision of this chapter or the application of any provision of this chapter to any
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person or circumstance shall be held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the provisions or
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application of this chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provisions or application,
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and to this end the provisions of the chapter are declared to be severable.
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SECTION 2. Section 23-17.7.1-13 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-17.7.1 entitled
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"Licensing of Nursing Service Agencies" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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23-17.7.1-13. Agencies to which chapter inapplicable.
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(a) The provisions of this chapter shall not be construed to apply to hospices, home nursing
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care providers and homecare providers licensed in accordance with chapter 17 of this title; however,
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the agencies shall be subject to the same training requirements for nursing assistants and the duties
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of the individuals shall be the same as those prescribed by regulations.
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(b) Training Thru Placement, Inc., and the respite care services provided to the
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developmentally disabled by Training Thru Placement, Inc., shall be exempted from the provisions
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of this chapter.
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(c) The provisions of this chapter shall not be construed to apply to healthcare worker
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platforms licensed in accordance with chapter 106 of this title; however, the platforms shall be
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subject to the same training requirements for nursing assistants and the duties of the individuals
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shall be the same as those prescribed by regulations.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- HEALTHCARE WORKER PLATFORM ACT
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This act would establish the healthcare worker platform and would require platforms
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offering healthcare shifts to register with the department of health by June 1, 2027, while,
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specifically, exempting them from being classified as nursing service agencies.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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