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H8402ABenefit Programs

Human Services - Permanent Joint Study Commission on Aging and Multi-Sector Plan on Aging

This bill creates a permanent state commission to develop and oversee a long-term plan for Rhode Island's aging population.

Introduced67 Yea5 Nay3 Not voting
Population
Affected
28
Email Legislator
Introduced Apr 3, 2026Committee House Health & Human Services

Plain-English Summary

This bill creates a permanent 19-member commission to develop and oversee a long-term plan for older adults and people with disabilities in Rhode Island. The commission includes lawmakers, state agency directors, and members of the public. They are required to create a "multi-sector plan on aging" that addresses housing, transportation, healthcare, and economic security. The plan will be updated every four years, and the commission must submit an annual progress report to state leaders. The state Office of Healthy Aging will coordinate this work with federal reporting requirements.

For younger readers

This bill creates a special group of 19 people, including lawmakers and citizens, to make a big plan for older people and people with disabilities in the state. The group will look at how to help them with things like housing, getting around, going to the doctor, and having enough money. They have to write a report every year to show how the plan is working and they must update the main plan every four years.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Older adultsPersons with disabilitiesState agenciesMunicipalitiesCaregivers
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
Amount unknown
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Establishes a permanent framework to address the intersectional needs of older adults and people with disabilities, ensuring long-term focus on vulnerable populations.
  • Mandates diverse representation on the commission, including requirements for racial, cultural, gender, and ability diversity, promoting social justice and equity in policy-making.
  • Focuses on systemic reform by requiring state agencies to coordinate services across housing, healthcare, transportation, and economic security to build a stronger social safety net.
  • The bill relies heavily on a study commission and reporting rather than immediately appropriating direct funding or creating new public services for those in need.
  • Subjecting the commission's funding to the general assembly's annual appropriation process could leave the initiative underfunded and unable to enact meaningful systemic change.
  • The 18-month timeline to adopt the initial plan delays immediate, actionable relief for seniors and disabled individuals currently struggling with housing and healthcare.
For Conservatives
  • Promotes government efficiency by requiring interagency coordination and utilizing existing federal data from the Older Americans Act, which could reduce bureaucratic waste.
  • Supports aging in place and home-based services, which often cost less than state-funded institutional care, potentially easing the long-term tax burden.
  • Increases accountability by requiring executive branch agencies to formally respond in writing within 90 days to the commission's annual report recommendations.
  • Creates a new, permanent government commission, expanding the size and scope of the state bureaucracy.
  • Mandates diversity quotas based on race, gender, and culture for commission appointments rather than focusing strictly on merit or professional expertise.
  • May lead to recommendations for increased government spending and expanded state-funded services in housing, transportation, and healthcare.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

2 versions
Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 116 additions

SECTION 1. Title 40 of the General Laws entitled "HUMAN SERVICES" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 40-23-1. Establishment.

(a) There is hereby established a permanent house and senate joint study commission to be known as the “permanent joint legislative study commission on aging” (the “permanent commission”).

(b) The permanent commission shall guide, develop, and oversee the implementation of the Rhode Island multi-sector plan on aging. 40-23-2. Membership.

(a) The permanent commission shall consist of nineteen (19) members:

(1) Three (3) members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker, one of whom shall serve as co-chairperson;

(2) Three (3) members of the senate appointed by the president, one of whom shall serve as co-chairperson;

(3) The director of the office of healthy aging, or designee;

(4) The secretary of the executive office of health and human services, or designee;

(5) The director of the department of health, or designee;

(6) The secretary of housing, or designee;

(7) The director of the Rhode Island public transit authority, or designee;

(8) The chair of the state commission on aging, or designee;

(9) The chair of the long-term care coordinating council, or designee;

(10) The executive director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, or designee;

(11) The executive director of the Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island;

(12) One member who is a municipal senior center director appointed by the speaker;

(13) Three (3) public members jointly appointed by the speaker and the president who shall represent the aging or disabled community and possess lived experience or expertise in matters affecting older adults or persons with disabilities. At least one public member shall be sixty (60) years of age or older, and at least one public member shall be an adult with disabilities or a representative of a disability stakeholder organization.

(b) The three (3) public members shall collectively reflect a mix of residents from urban and rural communities within the state.

(c) Appointments shall seek representation of diverse racial, cultural, gender, and ability groups.

(d) Legislative members serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. Public members serve staggered three (3) year terms.

(e) The permanent commission shall have the authority to establish subcommittees appointed by the chairpersons, to further the implementation of this chapter. The permanent commission shall have the authority to appoint the chairpersons and the members to these subcommittees. 40-23-3. Multi-sector plan on aging.

(a) The permanent commission shall develop and periodically update a comprehensive multi-sector plan on aging (“MPA”) to serve as the general assembly’s coordinated long-term framework for addressing the needs of older adults and persons with disabilities.

(b) The MPA shall address, at a minimum, the following domains:

(1) Housing;

(2) Transportation;

(3) Access to services;

(4) Municipal services;

(5) Economic security; and

(6) Healthcare.

(c) The MPA shall include:

(1) An assessment of demographic trends and projected growth of older Rhode Islanders;

(2) Identification of disparities and structural barriers affecting aging outcomes;

(3) Broad goals and strategic priorities within each domain;

(4) Identification of opportunities for improved interagency coordination and collaboration with municipalities and community partners;

(5) Recommendations for legislative, regulatory, and budgetary actions necessary to advance the goals of the plan;

(6) Strategies to promote aging in place and strengthen home- and community-based services.

(d) The initial multi-sector plan shall be adopted within eighteen (18) months of enactment.

(e) The plan shall be updated no less than every four (4) years. 40-23-4. Duties. The permanent commission shall:

(1) Encourage agencies at all levels of government to prioritize planning for older Rhode Islanders in strategic plans, capital planning, and program development;

(2) Facilitate joint policy development among state agencies and municipalities to promote innovation, efficiency, and effective use of public resources;

(3) Request information and implementation updates from relevant state agencies;

(4) Establish advisory subcommittees aligned with the domains identified in § 40-23-4 as necessary; and

(5) Conduct no fewer than four (4) public meetings annually. 40-23-5. Annual report.

(a) On or before January 15 of each year, the permanent commission shall submit a written report describing progress on the multi-sector plan on aging and recommendations for legislative or budgetary action to:

(1) The governor;

(2) The president of the senate;

(3) The speaker of the house of representatives;

(4) The chairperson of the senate committee on health and human services;

(5) The chairperson of the house committee on health and human services;

(6) The chairperson of the senate committee on finance;

(7) The chairperson of the house committee on finance;

(8) The chairperson of the senate committee on housing and municipal government; and

(9) The chairperson of the house committee on municipal government and housing.

(b) Executive branch agencies identified in the multi-sector plan shall, within ninety (90) days of issuance of the annual report, submit a written response outlining actions taken, planned actions, or reasons for non-implementation of recommendations relevant to their agency.

(c) The annual report and agency responses shall be made publicly available. 40-23-6. Administrative and financial support.

(a) The general assembly shall determine and provide staff support. The office of healthy aging shall provide technical assistance upon request.

(b) Funding pursuant to this section shall be subject to appropriation by the general assembly. 40-23-7. Permanency. The permanent commission shall be permanent and shall not sunset unless repealed by a subsequent act of the general assembly. 40-23-8. Coordination of federal reporting with the Rhode Island multi-sector plan on aging.

(a) The state unit on aging, currently the Rhode Island office of healthy aging (“OHA”), shall coordinate reporting required under the Older Americans Act (42 U.S.C. § 3001 et seq.) with the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Rhode Island multi-sector plan on aging and the permanent commission.

(b) To the maximum extent practicable, data, analyses, and performance measures collected for federal reporting required under the Older Americans Act shall be used to inform and support the goals, strategies, and progress monitoring of the state’s multi-sector plan on aging.

(c) The OHA shall ensure that information collected by state departments and service providers for federal reporting purposes is integrated into the planning, evaluation, and continuous improvement of the multi-sector plan on aging.

(d) The multi-sector plan on aging may incorporate, where appropriate:

(1) Performance indicators and service data reported pursuant to the Older Americans Act;

(2) Demographic and service utilization data from the state OHA;

(3) Measures related to health, housing, transportation, economic security, caregiving, and community supports affecting older adults and adults with disabilities; and

(4) Cross-agency data necessary to track progress toward statewide aging policy goals.

(e) Nothing in this section shall alter or diminish federal reporting obligations required to receive funding under the Older Americans Act, but shall ensure that such reporting is leveraged to support statewide strategic planning for Rhode Island’s aging population.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on September 1, 2026.