This bill proposes several amendments and appropriations related to nursing home residents and the Hampstead hospital and residential treatment facility. Firstly, it adjusts the personal needs allowance for nursing home residents, changing the adjustment frequency from every 5 years to annually, aligning it with social security increases. Additionally, the bill appropriates $160,000 to the Department of Health and Human Services for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, to fund leave accrual and retention payments for temporary classified staff at the Hampstead facility. Furthermore, the bill establishes the Hampstead hospital and residential treatment facility capital investment fund, mandating that all revenue collected from operations transfer and asset purchase agreements be deposited into this fund. This fund is intended to support capital investments and maintenance of the facility and is designed to be nonlapsing and continually appropriated for these purposes. The bill also includes provisions for the effective dates of its various sections, with the personal needs allowance adjustment taking effect on January 1, 2026, and other sections becoming effective on June 30, 2025, and July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 167:27-a
As Amended by the Senate: 167:27-a, 126-A:5, 6:12
As Amended by the Senate (2nd): 167:27-a, 126-A:5, 6:12
As Amended by the House: 126-A:5, 6:12, 126-X:1, 126-X:2, 126-X:3, 126-X:4, 126-X:5, 126-X:8, 126-X:6
Version adopted by both bodies: 167:27-a, 126-A:5, 6:12
CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION: 167:27-a, 126-A:5, 6:12