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Assembly clears bill requiring nursing homes to have emergency plans and designated storage for remains
Summary
The Assembly passed a Paulin-sponsored bill directing nursing homes to prepare plans and designate storage arrangements for deceased residents during emergencies; sponsors cited COVID-era failures and opponents warned about operational burdens during crises.
The Assembly on March 25 approved a measure requiring nursing homes to prepare plans for the storage and handling of deceased residents during declared emergencies and to designate storage arrangements accordingly.
Assemblymember Paulin (appearing on the floor as "Miss Pollan" in the transcript) said the bill's purpose is to "require nursing homes to designate dedicated storage spaces for the bodies of deceased residents," a response to failures witnessed in long-term care facilities during the COVID‑19 pandemic. She told colleagues the bill is intended to ensure dignity and proper handling in cases where facilities face a sudden, sharp increase in deaths.
The bill specifies that facilities must have a plan, but the sponsor said plans tied to the specifics of an emergency would be developed after a declaration so that the response can be tailored to the nature and scale of the event. Questioners asked whether facilities would be expected to build new cold storage facilities, or instead enter cooperative or contractual arrangements with county morgues, funeral homes, hospitals, or neighboring facilities. The sponsor said the statute would require a written plan and leave flexibility for facilities to decide whether to rely on on-site capacity, off-site contracts or cooperation with local partners depending on the emergency.
Members also raised operational concerns: reviewing plans during an ongoing emergency could add administrative burdens to state public health officials, and competition for refrigerated storage among hospitals, nursing homes and funeral homes could create logistical and pricing problems. The sponsor argued that planning would promote coordination among local stakeholders and prevent the disorganized situations seen during COVID.
The Assembly recorded the vote as 110 in favor and 39 opposed; the bill was passed. The act takes effect on the 60th day after enactment and the sponsor said more detailed operational rules could be issued by the Department of Health or via executive orders as needed during a declared emergency.
Ending: Lawmakers said the bill is intended to prevent a recurrence of the conditions encountered early in the COVID‑19 pandemic by requiring written emergency plans; critics warned of potential administrative and fiscal burdens during crises and urged careful implementation guidance from DOH.
