Conference committee sets assisted-living contract effective date for Jan. 1, 2026

Conference negotiators added a uniform effective date—Jan. 1, 2026—to several assisted-living provisions in the conference package and aligned related sections so the provisions apply to contracts executed on or after that date.

Committee co-chairs explained the insertion of a special effective date into the House sections that were being merged with the Senate language. Nonpartisan staff read back the amendment: the sections in question would be effective 01/01/2026 and “apply to all assisted living contracts executed on or after that date.” Staff said the change was intended to align three related statutory changes as a package rather than leave some provisions on the standard August 1 effective date.

A committee member asked whether the change would affect existing contracts; staff and Chair Schumacher said the amendment would affect contracts going forward beginning Jan. 1, 2026. The committee also discussed a related provision on change of ownership: the current language requires a new licensee to honor the terms of an assisted-living contract in effect at the time of an ownership change until the end of the contract term; witnesses confirmed that referenced contracts are the agreements between the assisted-living facility and the resident.

After a short discussion about which lines to remove and how the three sections interacted, the committee approved the amendment by voice vote and later adopted a package of noncontroversial assisted-living sections with the new effective date.

Votes at a glance: Motion to insert special effective date (01/01/2026) applying to assisted-living contracts executed on or after that date — moved by Representative Schumacher (oral amendment); adopted by voice vote.