Rhode Island § 23-81-2 § 23-81-2. Legislative findings.

Rhode Island Statutes

§ 23-81-2 — § 23-81-2. Legislative findings.

Rhode Island § 23-81-2

Title 23Health and Safety

Ch. 23-81Rhode Island Coordinated Health Planning Act of 2006

This text of Rhode Island § 23-81-2 (§ 23-81-2. Legislative findings.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Rhode Island primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-81-2 (2026).

Text

§ 23-81-2. Legislative findings.
It is hereby found and declared:
(a) The vast majority of Rhode Islanders believe that quality, affordable health care
            should be available to all in our state;
         
(b) Our current health care crisis affects all facets of Rhode Island's economy, with
            a particular burden on small business owners, young people, and those approaching
            retirement;
         
(c) A majority of Rhode Islanders believe that the state government has a significant
            role to play in solving this health care crisis;
         
Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

§ 23-81-2. Legislative findings.

It is hereby found and declared:

(a) The vast majority of Rhode Islanders believe that quality, affordable health care should be available to all in our state;

(b) Our current health care crisis affects all facets of Rhode Island's economy, with a particular burden on small business owners, young people, and those approaching retirement;

(c) A majority of Rhode Islanders believe that the state government has a significant role to play in solving this health care crisis;

(d) The current state health care infrastructure is fragmented with an array of state departments and offices carrying out health care planning, along with a myriad of private efforts, all with a lack of coordination;

(e) Because an essential component of health planning is resource allocation, there is a need to professionalize the health services council and revitalize the certificate of need process;

(f) Recognizing that many departments of state government are involved in the collection of data and information related to health care, health care outcomes, health care insurance, consumer behavior and trends, and that accurate and accessible, collection and housing of this information is necessary for the general assembly to enact useful health care policy;

(g) Rhode Island's small size makes us the perfect laboratory to create a unified health care system, planned and coordinated with a functioning public/private partnership, with broad representation of all of the health care stakeholders;

(h) The general assembly finds that the people of this state have a fundamental interest in the establishment of a comprehensive strategic health care planning process and the preparation, maintenance, and implementation of plans to improve the quality, accessibility, portability, and affordability of health care in Rhode Island; that the continued growth, viability and development of the health care infrastructure by the private and public sectors requires effective planning by the state; and that state and local plans and programs must be properly coordinated with the planning requirements and programs of the federal government; and

(i) The coordinated health planning process should create usable and dynamic guidance that helps design a health care system and improves the health of Rhode Islanders.