SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2914        FILED ON: 4/14/2020

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2657

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

James B. Eldridge

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to patient safety in nursing homes.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

 

James Arciero

2nd Middlesex

 

Steven Ultrino

33rd Middlesex

4/17/2020

Peter Capano

11th Essex

4/17/2020

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

4/17/2020

Tackey Chan

2nd Norfolk

4/17/2020

David Allen Robertson

19th Middlesex

4/17/2020

Maria Duaime Robinson

6th Middlesex

4/17/2020

William M. Straus

10th Bristol

4/17/2020

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

4/20/2020

Michael O. Moore

Second Worcester

4/20/2020

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

4/20/2020

Edward F. Coppinger

10th Suffolk

4/20/2020

Christopher Hendricks

11th Bristol

4/21/2020

Paul W. Mark

2nd Berkshire

4/21/2020

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

4/21/2020

Kenneth I. Gordon

21st Middlesex

4/22/2020

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

17th Worcester

4/22/2020

Tram T. Nguyen

18th Essex

4/27/2020

Nika C. Elugardo

15th Suffolk

4/27/2020

Brendan P. Crighton

Third Essex

4/30/2020

Mark C. Montigny

Second Bristol and Plymouth

5/1/2020


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2914        FILED ON: 4/14/2020

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2657

By Mr. Eldridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2657) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of James B. Eldridge, James Arciero, Steven Ultrino, Peter Capano and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to patient safety in nursing homes.  Public Health.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act relative to patient safety in nursing homes.

 

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to address critical patient safety needs in nursing homes, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health.
 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 72 of Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out the words, “such intervals as the department shall specify in its rules and regulations” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “any time”.

SECTION 2. Said Section 72 is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph to the end thereof:-

The department may require that employees of convalescent and nursing homes, infirmaries maintained in towns, rest homes, charitable homes for the aged and intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled be tested for certain diseases or have their temperature taken as a condition of reporting for work.

SECTION 3. Section 72M of Chapter 111 is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph to the end thereof:-

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, during a public health emergency or a state of emergency declared by the governor, the department may intervene in the operation of a facility. During a public health emergency or a state of emergency declared by the governor, the department may take actions or issue orders to prevent death or injury to the facility’s patients and employees, including but not limited to, taking control of a facility or appointing a temporary receiver.