The Statement of Reasons for Finding of Imminent Peril

As of July 6, 2021, powers conferred upon the governor by law for disaster emergency response cannot exceed a period of one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of the emergency order or proclamation of a state of disaster emergency, unless and until the general assembly extends the one hundred eighty (180) day period by concurrent resolution. Despite temporary preservation by law of the March 9, 2020 Declaration of Disaster and several related executive orders, a number of COVID-19-related executive orders have terminated. Certain provisions within those terminated executive orders remain necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare from imminent peril due to COVID-19. This emergency rule is being promulgated contemporaneously with a proposed final rule in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in healthcare settings.

216-RICR-40-10-1

The Statement of Reasons for Finding of Imminent Peril

As of July 6, 2021, powers conferred upon the governor by law for disaster emergency response cannot exceed a period of one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of the emergency order or proclamation of a state of disaster emergency, unless and until the general assembly extends the one hundred eighty (180) day period by concurrent resolution. Despite temporary preservation by law of the March 9, 2020 Declaration of Disaster and several related executive orders, a number of COVID-19-related executive orders have terminated. Certain provisions within those terminated executive orders remain necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare from imminent peril due to COVID-19. This emergency rule is being promulgated contemporaneously with a proposed final rule in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in healthcare settings.

216-RICR-40-10-2

The Statement of Reasons for Finding of Imminent Peril

On March 9, 2020, Governor Gina Raimondo declared a state of emergency for the State of Rhode Island “due to the dangers to health and life posed by COVID-19.” Seventeen months later, on August 19, 2021, Governor Daniel McKee declared a further state of emergency “due to the dangers to health and life posed by the [COVID-19] Delta Variant and other emerging [COVID-19] variants.” As of October 7, 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the State’s health care system, gravely exacerbating a pre-existing shortage of health care workers, including nursing assistants. The lack of nursing assistants jeopardizes the ability of the State’s health care system to provide critical care. This emergency regulation is meant to avoid the imminent peril posed by the lack of nursing assistants by taking advantage of the CMS blanket waiver of certain nurse aide training and certification requirements to provide for emergency temporary nursing assistant licensure.

216-RICR-40-05-22

The Statement of Reasons for Finding of Imminent Peril

On March 9, 2020, Governor Gina Raimondo declared a state of emergency for the State of Rhode Island “due to the dangers to health and life posed by COVID-19.” Seventeen months later, on August 19, 2021, Governor Daniel McKee declared a further state of emergency “due to the dangers to health and life posed by the [COVID-19] Delta Variant and other emerging [COVID-19] variants.” As of October 15, 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the State’s health care system, gravely exacerbating a pre-existing shortage of health care workers, including emergency medical services personnel. The lack of emergency medical services personnel jeopardizes the ability of the State’s health care system to provide critical care. This emergency regulation is meant to avoid the imminent peril posed by the lack of staff for private ambulances for basic life support transportation, which has severely impacted the ability of hospitals to discharge patients in a in a timely manner, thus not allowing patients to be admitted to the hospital from the emergency department.

216-RICR-20-10-2

The Statement of Reasons for Finding of Imminent Peril

To protect students, a significant portion of whom are still ineligible for vaccination, against COVID-19 and reducing transmission of the new COVID-19 variants in the school setting and beyond.

216-RICR-20-10-7

The Statement of Reasons for Finding of Imminent Peril

As of July 6, 2021, powers conferred upon the governor by law for disaster emergency response cannot exceed a period of one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of the emergency order or proclamation of a state of disaster emergency, unless and until the general assembly extends the one hundred eighty (180) day period by concurrent resolution. Despite temporary preservation by law of the March 9, 2020 Declaration of Disaster and several related executive orders, a number of COVID-19-related executive orders have terminated. Certain provisions within those terminated executive orders remain necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare from imminent peril due to COVID-19. This emergency rule is being promulgated contemporaneously with a proposed final rule in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in healthcare settings.

216-RICR-20-15-7

The Statement of Reasons for Finding of Imminent Peril

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, also known as COVID-19, has mutated into a more contagious variant, known as the Delta variant. As of July 4, 2021, Rhode Island had a “moderate transmission” rate of 11.2 cases per 100,000 people, but as of August 17, 2021, Rhode Island’s transmission rate has increased to “high transmission” of more than 187 cases per 100,000 people. New hospitalizations by week have more than quadrupled within that same time period. Health care workers and health care providers interact with some of Rhode Island’s most vulnerable populations: individuals who are immunocompromised and individuals with co-morbidities. These vulnerable populations are at risk for adverse health outcomes from COVID-19. As COVID-19 positive individuals are often asymptomatic or presymptomatic, health care workers and health care providers may unintentionally spread infection to these vulnerable patients. In order to protect these vulnerable populations, RIDOH is mandating that all health care workers and health care providers be vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 1, 2021.

216-RICR-20-15-8

The Statement of Reasons for Finding of Imminent Peril

As of July 6, 2021, powers conferred upon the governor by law for disaster emergency response cannot exceed a period of one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of the emergency order or proclamation of a state of disaster emergency, unless and until the general assembly extends the one hundred eighty (180) day period by concurrent resolution. Despite temporary preservation by law of the March 9, 2020 Declaration of Disaster and several related executive orders, a number of COVID-19-related executive orders have terminated. Certain provisions within those terminated executive orders remain necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare from imminent peril due to COVID-19. This emergency rule is being promulgated contemporaneously with a proposed final rule in order to require reporting of COVID-19 test results, COVID-19 hospitalizations and COVID-19 deaths.

216-RICR-30-05-1