New Laws Benefiting Older Rhode Islanders from this Legislative Session – Herb Weiss

By Herb Weiss, contributing writer on aging issues

A new group of bills, signed by Gov. Dan McKee, delivers notable benefits for older Rhode Islanders. The new laws focus on three main goals: boosting financial security, expanding healthcare access, and cracking down on fraud and scams targeting seniors.

“We also strengthened protections against scams and financial exploitation, advanced consumer protections, and passed legislation to improve access to affordable, high-quality health care,” they said, stressing that more work remains.

“As we continue to prepare for the impacts of federal funding cuts to vital state programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), we must remain vigilant in protecting the services that many older Rhode Islanders depend on,” they added. “We remain committed to working with our partners to address the many challenges facing older Rhode Islanders and to advancing policies that protect their financial security, support healthy aging, and enhance the quality of life for every senior in our state.”

A Strong Year for Aging Issues

More than 2,450 bills were introduced during the 2026 legislative session – 1,157 in the Senate and 1,297 in the House. Excluding resolutions, which were largely congratulatory in nature or recognized prominent Rhode Island residents, only 249 measures ultimately cleared both chambers to reach the Governor’s desk for signature.

Among the most important actions affecting Rhode Islanders was the adoption of the state’s $15.2 billion Fiscal Year 2027 budget. The new spending plan includes a number of provisions benefiting older adults, caregivers, and aging-service providers. It eliminates age thresholds to exempt Social Security income from state taxes, increases Medicaid reimbursement rates for dementia care and other providers, and boosts funding for Meals on Wheels and senior centers.

But the enacted budget was only part of this year’s legislative story. Lawmakers also approved a number of bills that Gov. Dan McKee signed into law, addressing health care, consumer protection, retirement security, and services that help older Rhode Islanders remain independent in their homes and communities.

Among the new laws signed by Gov. McKee are the following:

The General Assembly approved legislation (S 3282, H 8595) sponsored by Senate President Lawson and Rep. Michelle McGaw (D-Dist. 71, Portsmouth, Tiverton, Little Compton) to ensure that Medicare patients over 65 years old are eligible for all Medicare supplemental coverage programs, regardless of preexisting conditions. Under the new law, every Medicare recipient over 65 will have at least one month each calendar year to enroll in any Medigap plan without undergoing medical underwriting. That means older adults cannot be denied coverage – or charged higher premiums because of preexisting conditions if they switch plans during that enrollment period.

Rep. Jennifer Boylan (D-Dist. 66, Barrington, East Providence) and Sen. Lori Urso (D-Dist. 8, Pawtucket) sponsored successful legislation (H 7029A, S 2116A) to help homebound patients access routine foot care at home. The new law allows routine foot care in patients’ homes, provided the provider has received proper training and demonstrates clinical competence. The new measure addresses unmet needs for basic, routine, and preventive foot care at home. Many older adults and people with disabilities need medical assistance for routine foot care, including noninvasive maintenance of toenails, common corns, and calluses.

Legislation (S 2026, H 8171A) from Sen. Victoria Gu (D-Dist. 38, Westerly, Charlestown, South Kingstown) and Rep. Justine Caldwell (D-Dist. 30, East Greenwich, West Greenwich), now law, creates a Medicaid pilot program that leverages medically tailored meals and other nutritional supports to improve the health of those with chronic, diet-related conditions. This coverage could take the form of produce prescriptions, vouchers, or medically tailored meals, prescribed by medical professionals for persons with diet-related diseases or food insecurity. It could also include clinical nutrition education.

Legislation (H 8060A, S 3338) introduced by Rep. Joseph J. Solomon, Jr. (D-Dist. 22, Warwick) and Sen. Matthew L. LaMountain (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston), now enacted, strengthens the state’s laws to fight identity fraud and emerging forms of digital deception. The act defines “digital forgery” as participating in the generation, creation, or distribution of a computer-generated visual or audio representation intended to deceive people.

Gov. McKee signed legislation (H 7613A, S 2810A) sponsored by Rep. Alex D. Marszalkowski (D-Dist. 52, Cumberland) and Sen. Lammis Vargas (D-Dist. 28, Cranston, Providence) that would protect tax filers from fraudulent or illegal tax preparation services. This new law imposes penalties on tax preparers who intentionally mislead their clients or act as ghost preparers for tax returns. It would also require the tax administrator to publish a list of tax preparers whose privileges to prepare returns have been revoked or suspended.

The Act (H 7551aa, S 2715A) introduced by House Speaker Pro Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy (D-Dist. 38, Hopkinton, Westerly) and Senate President Lawson would criminalize deed theft. Additionally, it would allow municipalities to refuse to record “suspicious documents” submitted by untrusted submitters. Deed theft usually involves forged documents, such as a quit-claim deed, to record a phony transfer of property ownership. Scammers may then attempt to sell the stolen vacant land or home, or even rent it, to turn a profit, forcing the real owners to head to court to reclaim their property.

The enacted measure (H 7837, S 2878) sponsored by Rep. Caldwell and Senate President Pro Tempore Hanna M. Gallo (D-Dist. 27, Cranston, West Warwick) would improve the oral health of homebound older Rhode Islanders by expanding reimbursement eligibility for public health dental hygienists. Currently, dental hygienists’ services are reimbursable only through Medicaid and insurance plans purchased through HealthSource RI. The new law allows public health dental hygienists to be paid directly by Medicare and other insurers for services provided in the home to older adults who lack transportation or mobility to visit a dentist.

This enacted legislation (H 7475, S 3086), sponsored by Rep. Evan P. Shanley (D-Dist. 24, Warwick, East Greenwich) and Sen. Meghan E. Kallman (D-Dist. 15, Pawtucket, Providence), enacts technical amendments to the Rhode Island Secure Choice Retirement Savings Program Act. These structural modifications, which improve daily operations enable the retirement board to enhance the program’s efficiency and reach and strengthen interstate partnerships. Secure Choice, which offers employees of small businesses access to a portable, Roth-IRA-type retirement accounts through automatic payroll deduction, was enacted last year.

We’ll Be Back

According to Carol Costa, Executive Director of the Senior Agenda Coalition of RI (SACRI), this year’s General Assembly approved several important measures supporting aging in place, including bills on foot care and dental hygienists. She also believes the Food as Medicine legislation will have a tremendous impact on homebound older Rhode Islanders.

Costa noted that consumer protection bills which were signed into law are also laudable, including the enacted bill (H 8106, S 2644), that was introduced by Rep. Stephen M. Casey (D-Dist. 50, Woonsocket) and Sens. Melissa Murray (D-Dist. 24, Woonsocket, North Smithfield) and Brian J. Thompson (D-Dist. 20, Woonsocket, Cumberland) restricting deed covenants on grocery stores addressing anti-competitive deed restrictions. The bills were originally created and pushed forward at the request of Rhode Island Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos as part of her “Fair Price Grocery Agenda”.

SACRI applauds the enactment of legislation (H 7020, S 3180) sponsored by Rep. Jon D. Brien (I-Dist. 49, Woonsocket, North Smithfield) and Sen. Thompson that establishes the framework for veterinary telemedicine in Rhode Island. “It is a good law to help homebound older Rhode Islanders to take better care of their pets,” Costa says. The new law requires Rhode Island-licensed veterinarians to obtain client consent before establishing an electronic relationship and to keep records for one year. Providers must clearly display services and standard fees on their websites.

Workforce development also got a boost this year with passage of the Healthcare Worker Platform Act (H 7030B, S 2107A), says Costa. Sponsored by Rep. Shanley and Sen. Jacob E. Bissaillon (D-Dist. 1, Providence), the new law creates a digital platform that connects qualified healthcare workers with open shifts at healthcare facilities. The platform allows licensed healthcare professionals to identify and accept available shifts, helping healthcare providers fill staffing gaps more quickly and efficiently. “Creating a workforce platform is a positive step that enables quicker access to long-term care staffing,” says Costa.

“SACRI will be supporting bills that did not get over the finish line this session by pushing them on day one,” says Costa, noting that in the next session, the coalition will push for the passage of the removal of the MSP Asset test, the creation of the Office of the Elder Advocate, and making the Rep. Lauren H. Carson’s (D-Dist. 75, Newport) House Study Commission on Aging or House Commission Studying Services and Programs for Older Adults a permanent commission.

“SACRI is reflecting on a year of dedicated advocacy while turning its focus to the work ahead,” explains Costa. “While some major legislative priorities did not make it across the finish line this year, we remain committed to dismantling barriers for Rhode Island’s older adults and individuals with disabilities,” she says.

“While SACRI didn’t secure 100% of all we fought for this past session, our resolve is stronger than ever to push for passage in the General Assembly,” says Costa, stressing that the legislation is vital to the economic security and protection of our older adults. “SACRI will be there to advocate forcefully until they become law,” she said.

For more information about the states’ Fiscal Year 2027 budget, see my article in RI News Today. Go to https://rinewstoday.com/ri-budget-win-for-older-adults-by-herb-weiss.

Read about AARP Rhode Island’s advocacy on bills that were signed into law this legislative session. Go to

To read more articles by Herb Weiss, go to:  https://2×8.ea2.myftpupload.com/herb-weiss/

Herb Weiss, LRI, 12, is a Pawtucket-based writer who has covered aging, healthcare, and medical issues for more than 45 years. To purchase his books, Taking Charge: Collected Stories on Aging Boldly and its two sequels, visit herbweiss.com.