RI House Republican FY27 Budget Amendment - Occupational Licensure Compact Implementation

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Occupational licensure compacts are a practical and effective way for Rhode Island to address its ongoing shortage of health care workers; streamlining the process of allowing qualified and licensed professionals from other states to practice in Rhode Island. These compacts have been embraced by the General Assembly; since 2023, the state entered nine compacts and even expands upon them in the budget. To implement these compacts, however, departments require manpower and technology improvements.

House Republicans introduced this amendment to address just that. By directing additional resources to the Department of Health, the state will be able to get the ball rolling implementation of current and future compacts so that Rhode Islanders can continue to receive the quality of care they deserve and expect.

Leader Chippendale statement on Occupational Licensure Compact implementation:
Rhode Island has a serious health care access crisis, and for years the General Assembly has claimed to recognize the problem by passing interstate licensure compacts intended to make it easier for qualified medical professionals to practice here.
 
But passing a law and then refusing to fund its implementation is not leadership - it is political theater.
 
The McKee Administration requested the resources necessary to implement these compacts yet failed to include the funding in the Governor’s budget. Then the House had an opportunity to correct that failure and also chose not to act. Our amendment would have provided a modest $334,951 investment to give the Department of Health the staffing capacity it says it needs to move these compacts from statute to reality.
 
Instead, the state will continue sitting on laws it has already passed while Rhode Islanders struggle to find doctors, nurses, mental health providers, and other critical health care professionals.
 
This is exactly the kind of empty policymaking that frustrates people. Everyone says they want more providers. Everyone says they understand the workforce shortage. But when given the chance to fund a practical, low-cost solution, the administration and the legislative majority went through the motions and failed to do what was necessary.
 
Rhode Islanders do not need more speeches about health care access. They need the state to implement the tools it has already approved.

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​​​The 2026 Rhode Island House Minority (Republican) Caucus is comprised of the following elected members: Minority Leader Michael W. Chippendale, District 40 (Foster/Glocester/Coventry); Minority Whip David J. Place, District 47 (Burrillville/Glocester); Representative George Nardone, District 28 (Coventry); Representative Brian Newberry, District 48 (North Smithfield/Burrillville); Representative Robert Quattrocchi, District 41 (Scituate/Cranston); Representative Sherry Roberts, District 29 (Coventry/West Greenwich); Representative Richard Fascia, District 42 (Johnston/Cranston); Representative Marie Hopkins, District 21 (Warwick); Representative Chris Paplauskas, District 15 (Cranston); Representative Paul Santucci, District 53 (Smithfield/Glocester).

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