Senate Human Services Committee approves amendments to long-term care resident-rights bill

The Senate Human Services Committee agreed unanimously to adopt amendments to Senate Bill 2070 after testimony from the State Long Term Care Ombudsman and provider representatives.

The amendments, presented by Carla Backman, the State Long Term Care Ombudsman, reverted a proposed 14-day timeframe back to the bill’s original 30 days and removed or revised several proposed provisions she said would be difficult for assisted-living facilities to implement. "Bringing forward today some amendments to Senate Bill 2070...reverting taking out the proposed change from 14 days and reverting back to the original language of 30 days," Backman told the committee.

Why it matters: The bill would change how long-term care facilities communicate and operate around admission, discharge, and residents’ rights. Committee members and witnesses said some provisions in the initial draft were modeled on federal nursing-home rules that do not map neatly onto assisted living and basic care settings.

Key changes and discussion - Timeframe: The committee adopted language reverting the proposed 14-day standard to the bill’s original 30 days, a change Backman said the provider association requested so…