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H7967 • 2026

AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- LABOR RELATIONS ACT--NO LIMITATION ON HEALTHCARE BENEFIT PROVIDERS (Repeals the law that prevents a collective bargaining agreement covering state employees, public school teachers and municipal employees from specifying a particular healthcare provider in it.)

AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- LABOR RELATIONS ACT--NO LIMITATION ON HEALTHCARE BENEFIT PROVIDERS (Repeals the law that prevents a collective bargaining agreement covering state employees, public school teachers and municipal employees from specifying a particular healthcare provider in it.)

Education Healthcare Labor
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Brien, Corvese, Casey, Messier
Last action
2026-04-15
Official status
Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The plain English breakdown is still being put together. The official documents below are already here.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-15 Committee

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

  2. 2026-04-10 Rhode Island General Assembly

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/15/2026)

  3. 2026-03-02 Committee

    Committee postponed at request of sponsor (03/05/2026)

  4. 2026-02-27 Rhode Island General Assembly

    Introduced, referred to House Labor

  5. 2026-02-27 Rhode Island General Assembly

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration

Official Summary Text

AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- LABOR RELATIONS ACT--NO LIMITATION ON HEALTHCARE BENEFIT PROVIDERS (Repeals the law that prevents a collective bargaining agreement covering state employees, public school teachers and municipal employees from specifying a particular healthcare provider in it.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H7967

2026 -- H 7967
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LC005781
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- LABOR RELATIONS ACT--NO
LIMITATION ON HEALTHCARE BENEFIT PROVIDERS

Introduced By:
Representatives J. Brien, Corvese, Casey, and Messier

Date Introduced:
February 27, 2026

Referred To:
House Labor
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 28-7-49 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-7 entitled "Labor
2
Relations Act" is hereby repealed.
3

28-7-49. No limitation on healthcare benefit providers.
4

No collective bargaining agreement covering any group or groups of state employees,
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public school teachers, or employees of any city or town, ratified after August 1, 2008, shall specify
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that an employer must procure a healthcare benefit plan from a specific provider of such plans. The
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technical qualifications of the healthcare benefit plan, to be contracted for, shall not be framed or
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constructed in a manner designed to identify an exclusive provider of said healthcare services.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC005781
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- LABOR RELATIONS ACT--NO
LIMITATION ON HEALTHCARE BENEFIT PROVIDERS
***
1
This act would repeal the law that prevents a collective bargaining agreement covering
2
state employees, public school teachers and municipal employees from specifying a particular
3
healthcare provider in it.
4
This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC005781
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