Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas As Engrossed: S4/22/21
2 93rd General Assembly A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2021 SENATE BILL 611
4
5 By: Senator D. Wallace
6
7 For An Act To Be Entitled
8 AN ACT TO CREATE THE ACUITY-BASED CARE COMMITTEE; TO
9 RECOMMEND PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES TO CREATE
10 STANDARDIZATION AND CONSISTENCY IN NURSE STAFFING
11 WITHIN HOSPITALS AND REHABILITATION AND LONG-TERM
12 CARE FACILITIES; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
13
14
15 Subtitle
16 TO CREATE THE ACUITY-BASED CARE
17 COMMITTEE; AND TO RECOMMEND PROTOCOLS AND
18 PROCEDURES TO CREATE STANDARDIZATION AND
19 CONSISTENCY IN NURSE STAFFING WITHIN
20 HOSPITALS AND REHABILITATION AND LONG-
21 TERM CARE FACILITIES.
22
23
24 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
25
26 SECTION 1. TEMPORARY LANGUAGE. DO NOT CODIFY. Acuity-Based Care
27 Committee Creation Membership Duties.
28 (a) There is created the Acuity-Based Care Committee to study nurse
29 staffing in all hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, and long-term care
30 facilities.
31 (b) The committee shall consist of the following members:
32 (1) A member of the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare,
33 and Labor appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
34 (2) A member of the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare,
35 and Labor appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate;
36 (3) A representative of the Department of Health;
*JLL124* 04-22-2021 13:26:47 JLL124
 As Engrossed: S4/22/21 SB611
1 (4) A representative of the Department of Human Services;
2 (5) A representative of the Arkansas Hospital Association, Inc.;
3 (6) A representative of the Arkansas Nurses Association;
4 (7) A representative of the Arkansas State Board of Nursing;
5 (8) A representative of the Arkansas Health Care Association;
6 (9) A representative of the Arkansas Rural Health Partnership;
7 (10) A representative of the Arkansas Minority Health
8 Commission;
9 (11) A representative of the Arkansas Center for Nursing, Inc.;
10 (12) A representative of the Arkansas Organization of Nurse
11 Executives;
12 (13) A representative of the Arkansas Chapter of the Alzheimer's
13 Association;
14 (14) A representative of the Arkansas State Office of AARP,
15 Inc.;
16 (15) A representative of the Arkansas Emergency Nurses
17 Association;
18 (16) A representative of the Arkansas Nursing Home Nurses
19 Association;
20 (17) A representative of the Arkansas Chapter of the American
21 Association of Critical Care Nurses;
22 (18) A representative of Blue Cross Blue Shield; and
23 (19) A representative of Centene Corporation.
24 (c) If a vacancy occurs on the committee, the vacancy shall be filled
25 by the same process as the original appointment.
26 (d) The legislative members of the committee shall be paid per diem
27 and mileage as authorized by law for attendance at meetings of interim
28 committees of the General Assembly.
29 (e)(1) The Director of the Department of Health shall call the first
30 meeting of the committee within sixty (60) days of the effective date of this
31 act and shall serve as chair at the first meeting.
32 (2) At the first meeting of the committee, the members of the
33 committee shall elect from the committee's membership a chair or cochairs and
34 other officers as needed for the transaction of its business.
35 (3)(A) The committee shall meet at the Department of Health.
36 (B) Meetings of the committee shall be held at least
2 04-22-2021 13:26:47 JLL124
 As Engrossed: S4/22/21 SB611
1 one (1) time every three (3) months but may occur more often at the call of
2 the chair or cochairs.
3 (4) The committee shall establish rules and procedures for
4 conducting its business.
5 (5)(A) A majority of the members of the committee shall
6 constitute a quorum for transacting business of the committee.
7 (B) An affirmative vote of a majority of a quorum present
8 shall be required for the passage of a motion or other committee action.
9 (6) The Department of Health shall provide staff, meeting space,
10 and materials for the committee.
11 (f)(1) The purpose of the committee is to examine and identify areas
12 of needed reform with regard to the protocol, procedures, and mechanisms
13 related to current nurse staffing practices in all hospitals, rehabilitation
14 facilities, and long-term care facilities.
15 (2) To achieve this purpose, the committee shall:
16 (A) Study practices and protocols of other states with
17 regard to nurse staffing;
18 (B) Consult stakeholders and interested parties in the
19 state; and
20 (C) Develop best practices and recommended protocols,
21 including identifying areas of needed statutory or regulatory reform with
22 regard to nurse staffing.
23 (g) On or before March 1, 2022, the committee shall file with the
24 House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor and the Senate Committee
25 on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor a final written report of the
26 committee's activities, findings, and recommendations.
27 (h) The committee shall expire on March 1, 2022.
28
29 /s/D. Wallace
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
3 04-22-2021 13:26:47 JLL124