Rhode IslandH50672025 Regular SessionHouse

AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- DIETITIAN LICENSURE COMPACT .

Sponsored By: Joseph M. McNamara (Democratic)

Became Law

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

10 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 7 mixed.

Dietitians gain multistate practice with requirements

Qualifying dietitians can get permission called a compact privilege to practice in other participating states without separate licenses. They need a home-state license without restrictions, must notify the commission, pay applicable fees, and meet destination-state law requirements. One route requires current registered-dietitian registration. The other requires an accredited master's or doctoral program, or foreign equivalent, plus at least 1,000 supervised practice hours. That route also requires a qualifying national exam taken within five years of application and continuous licensure since. Privileges expire with the home-state license; renewal requires continued eligibility. Only the home state's continuing education rules apply, avoiding duplicate requirements.

License discipline can end multistate practice

A state where a dietitian uses a compact privilege can discipline that privilege under its existing due-process rules. Only the home state can discipline the home-state license. Restrictions on that license revoke compact privileges in all other member states while the restrictions remain. After the license is restored without restrictions, the dietitian must qualify again and reapply in each destination state. States can cooperate on investigations, share findings, and enforce investigative subpoenas across member states. The home state must finish investigations begun before or during a home-state change and report the results.

Military dietitians can keep home-state status

Active-duty service members and their spouses can designate a state where they hold a current license in good standing as their compact home state. They can keep that designation while the service member remains on active duty.

Compact staff receive legal liability protection

Commission members, officers, staff, and representatives receive civil liability protection for covered work within their duties or reasonably believed to be within them. The commission must defend them and cover qualifying claims, settlements, and judgments. Protection excludes intentional, willful, or wanton misconduct. It does not shield dietitians from liability for professional malpractice or misconduct.

Dietitians face fees for multistate practice

Participating states can charge dietitians a fee for granting a compact privilege. The compact commission can also charge dietitians who receive these privileges. It can assess member states annually to cover its approved budget when other revenue falls short. Commission rules allocate state assessments, and the law sets no dollar amounts for fees or assessments.

Moving dietitians must update home licenses

A dietitian can have only one compact home-state license at a time. Moving between participating states requires applying in the new home state and notifying both states. The new state checks eligibility and can require fees, criminal-history checks, and proof of knowledge of state law. The former home license can become a compact privilege through the compact's procedures. Dietitians who do not qualify, or move to a nonmember state, follow the applicable single-state licensing requirements.

State exits can end dietitian privileges

A state can withdraw by repealing the compact, with withdrawal effective 180 days after enactment. It must notify licensees, recognize privileges for at least 180 days after notice, and keep reporting through withdrawal. After an uncured default and exhausted compliance efforts, a majority of state delegates can vote to terminate membership. A terminated state must recognize privileges for at least six months after notifying licensees; departing states remain responsible for prior obligations. The commission can also deny or terminate participation when a state constitutional requirement materially departs from the compact.

States screen dietitians and share records

Member states must regulate dietitians, investigate complaints, recognize qualifying compact privileges, and share licensing records through a coordinated data system. Initial privilege applicants face criminal-history checks using fingerprints or other biometric information and FBI and state records. The system assigns unique applicant identifiers and shares license status, discipline, denials, alternative-program participation, and significant investigation information. Dietitians must report adverse actions and current significant investigative information within 30 days; states also have reporting duties. Other member states can access discipline and significant investigation records, and certified system records are admissible as authenticated business records. Expunged information must be removed, and states can restrict public release of designated records.

Dietitian compact rules bind member states

Commission rules have legal force the day after adoption unless they set a later date. Courts can block a rule where it conflicts with state laws or regulations governing licensed dietitian practice. A majority of member-state legislatures can reject a rule, or part of one, within four years of adoption. The commission follows its own rulemaking process; specified emergencies allow 24 hours' notice, with regular procedures required within 90 days after the emergency rule starts. The compact itself overrides conflicting state requirements, but leaves nonconflicting requirements in place.

States share control of dietitian compact

Rhode Island's adoption takes effect on passage; the interstate compact starts when the seventh state enacts it. It stays in effect below seven members, and later-joining states follow existing commission rules and bylaws. Each member state has one voting delegate on the commission, which manages the compact and issues annual reports and a CPA financial review. State executive and judicial branches must enforce the compact. At a member state's request, the commission must try to resolve interstate disputes through mediation or binding resolution as appropriate. A supermajority vote allows commission compliance lawsuits against defaulting states; member states can sue the commission, but other parties cannot enforce the compact against it.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Joseph M. McNamara
Democratic • House

Cosponsors

Mia A. Ackerman
Democratic • House
Susan R. Donovan
Democratic • House
David Morales
Democratic • House
Thomas E. Noret
Democratic • House
Earl A. Read, III
Democratic • House
Patricia A. Serpa
Democratic • House
Evan P. Shanley
Democratic • House
Joseph J. Solomon, Jr.
Democratic • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 144 • No: 0

House vote • 6/16/2025

DIETITIAN LICENSURE COMPACT PASSAGE PASSAGE OF AMENDMENT

Yes: 72 • No: 0