The bill amends Section 23-17.5-33 of the General Laws concerning the rights of nursing home patients, specifically addressing minimum staffing level compliance and enforcement. It establishes a compliance and enforcement program for minimum staffing levels in nursing homes. The bill includes provisions for the assessment of compliance based on the number of hours provided per resident, utilizing data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services payroll-based journal and self-reported census data from facilities.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that any penalties incurred for offenses committed during the calendar years 2022, 2023, and 2024, pursuant to Sections 23-17.5-32 and 23-17.5-33, shall be abated. This means that nursing homes will not face financial penalties for noncompliance during this specified period. The act is set to take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
265: 23-17.5-33