The proposed bill introduces the "Healthcare Professional Complaint History Transparency Act," which aims to establish a transparent process for healthcare institutions, such as nursing homes and hospitals, to access the complaint histories of prospective employees holding professional healthcare licenses, including certified nursing assistants (CNAs), registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and other licensed healthcare providers.

The act mandates the creation of a searchable online database that will include all complaints filed against licensed healthcare professionals, detailing the nature of the complaints, their resolutions, and any outcomes from investigations or disciplinary actions. This database will be publicly accessible but restricted to healthcare institutions and authorized parties, such as healthcare employers and hiring entities, for the purpose of evaluating potential hires.

Additionally, the bill ensures that licensed healthcare professionals have the right to review their own complaint histories through a secure online portal and contest any inaccuracies via a formal dispute process. Complaints that are ultimately determined to be baseless will remain in the database for transparency purposes, but their resolution status will be clearly marked as baseless or unsubstantiated.

The Department of Health is tasked with creating and maintaining this searchable database, which must be made available to healthcare institutions by July 1, 2026. The department will also provide guidance, training materials, and resources to healthcare institutions on how to effectively use the database and incorporate this data into their hiring processes. The act emphasizes the importance of maintaining confidentiality regarding personal information while ensuring that hiring institutions can make informed decisions based on the complaint histories of healthcare professionals.