AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- PHARMACIES (Includes routine, scheduled or recommended immunizations to individuals between the ages of three (3) and eighteen (18) years, under the consent and reporting provisions required for pharmacy administered immunizations.)

S2856

2026 -- S 2856
========
LC005108
========

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- PHARMACIES

Introduced By:
Senators Lauria, Valverde, Felag, Urso, Pearson, Vargas, DiPalma, and
Murray

Date Introduced:
March 04, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Health & Human Services
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1
SECTION 1. Section 5-19.1-31 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-19.1 entitled
2
"Pharmacies" is hereby amended to read as follows:
3

5-19.1-31.
Administration of influenza and COVID-19 immunizations to individuals
4
between the ages of three (3) years and eighteen (18) years, inclusive
Administration of
5
routine, scheduled, or recommended immunizations to individuals between the ages of three
6
(3) and eighteen (18) years, inclusive.
7
(a) Parental consent shall be required for all pharmacist-administered immunizations for
8
individuals under the age of eighteen (18) years.
9
(b) The department of health shall require a pharmacist who is authorized to administer
10
influenza and COVID-19
immunizations to individuals between the ages of three (3) years and
11
eighteen (18) years, inclusive, pursuant to § 5-19.1-2, to electronically report to the department all
12
immunizations administered within seven (7) days of administration in the format and for the
13
populations required by the department.
14
(c)(1) The department of health shall require a pharmacist who is authorized to administer
15
influenza and COVID-19
immunizations to individuals between the ages of three (3) years and
16
eighteen (18) years, inclusive, pursuant to § 5-19.1-2 to provide notification of a patient’s
17
immunization to the patient’s primary care provider, if known, within fourteen (14) days of
18
administration.
19
(2) The department of health’s rules and regulations shall include provisions to ensure that

1
the administering pharmacist makes a good-faith effort to obtain information relating to the identity
2
of a patient’s primary care provider or primary care practice, for the purposes of fulfilling the
3
reporting requirements of subsection (c)(1) herein. If a patient does not have an existing relationship
4
with a primary care provider or primary care practice, the administering pharmacist shall proceed
5
with the reporting requirements contained in subsection (b) of this section.
6
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
========
LC005108
========

LC005108 - Page 2 of 3
EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- PHARMACIES
***
1
This act would include routine, scheduled or recommended immunizations to individuals
2
between the ages of three (3) and eighteen (18) years, under the consent and reporting provisions
3
required for pharmacy administered immunizations to individuals between three (3) and eighteen
4
(18) years of age.
5
This act would take effect upon passage.
========
LC005108
========

LC005108 - Page 3 of 3