Hospital and health facility visitation. Allows a person admitted as a patient to a hospital or ambulatory outpatient surgical center (facility) to receive visitation by specified individuals during a declared emergency or public health emergency. Requires visitors to comply with applicable disease control or prevention guidelines issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when visiting a patient. Requires a facility to permit the visitation of a person admitted as a patient in a facility during specified compassionate care scenarios. Allows a facility to limit visitation in certain instances. Provides certain civil immunity for a facility, its employees, and contractors for an injury or harm caused by or resulting from: (1) the exposure of a contagious disease or other harmful agent that is specified during a disaster emergency; or (2) acts or omissions by visitors who are present in the facility; as a result of the implementation of the required protocols. Requires health facilities and residential care facilities (health facilities) to allow visitation of a resident in a compassionate care situation. Requires the state department of health to adopt standards and guidelines concerning the essential family caregiver program during a declared emergency or public health emergency and requires facilities to participate in the program. Allows for the designation of an essential family caregiver for a resident of a health facility and allows for visitation during restricted visitation at the health facility. Specifies requirements for an individual to be designated as an essential family caregiver and allows for the reconsideration and reporting of a denial of a request for designation. Allows the state department of health to adopt certain rules concerning the program. Provides certain civil immunity for a health facility, its employees, and contractors for an injury or harm caused by or resulting from: (1) the exposure of a contagious disease or other harmful agent that is specified during a disaster emergency; or (2) acts or omissions by visitors who are present in the health facility; as a result of the implementation of the required protocols.

Statutes affected:
1. Introduced Senate Bill (S): 16-18-2-122, 16-18-2-317.7
2. Senate Bill (S): 16-18-2-122, 16-18-2-317.7
3. Senate Bill (H): 16-18-2-122, 16-18-2-317.7
4. Engrossed Senate Bill (H): 16-18-2-122, 16-18-2-317.7
5. Enrolled Senate Bill (S): 16-18-2-122, 16-18-2-317.7