This bill amends the licensing requirements for residential care and health facilities, introducing several key changes aimed at enhancing the quality of care and transparency. Notably, it mandates that licensed residential care facilities must maintain a quality assurance program, replacing the previous voluntary requirement. Additionally, the results of investigations and inspections conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services will now be posted on their website, ensuring public access to this information. The bill also removes redundant references to administrative fines and updates terminology, changing "hospital" to "facility" and replacing "ongoing training" with "continuing education" in the context of annual training requirements.

Further amendments include the specification that investigations can be conducted not only for complaints but also when there is reasonable belief of violations, and the results of these investigations will be documented and made publicly available. The bill also clarifies that civil monetary penalties collected will be kept in a separate account for the protection of residents' health and property. The effective dates for the various sections of the bill are staggered, with some provisions taking effect 60 days after passage and others on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 151:5-c, 151:6, 151:6-a, 151:16-b, 151:21, 151:50
As Amended by the Senate: 151:5-c, 151:6, 151:6-a, 151:16-b, 151:21, 151:50