House Bill No. 6972 seeks to amend the regulations governing transfers and discharges in residential care homes, emphasizing the protection of residents' rights. The bill stipulates that residents must be allowed to remain in their homes unless certain conditions warrant a transfer or discharge, such as unmet welfare needs, improved health, safety endangerment, non-payment for services, or facility closure. In cases of involuntary transfers or discharges, facilities are required to provide written notice to residents and their legally liable relatives at least thirty days in advance, detailing the reasons, effective date, and residents' rights. The bill also introduces provisions for emergency situations, allowing facilities to request immediate transfers from the Commissioner of Public Health, who must respond within seven days.

Additionally, the bill updates existing legal language by replacing subsection (d) with (e) and (f) with (g), while adding a new subsection (h) that mandates facilities to electronically report each involuntary transfer or discharge as prescribed by the State Ombudsman. It also requires that the written notice for involuntary transfers includes the new location of the resident and an attestation that the notice was submitted to the Long-Term Care Ombudsman’s website on the same day. The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025, and is anticipated to have no fiscal impact on the state or municipalities.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill:
AGE Joint Favorable:
File No. 115: