SENATE DOCKET, NO. 797        FILED ON: 1/16/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 369

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Mark C. Montigny

_________________

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 to establish safe staffing levels at skilled nursing facilities.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Mark C. Montigny

Second Bristol and Plymouth


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 797        FILED ON: 1/16/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 369

By Mr. Montigny, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 369) of Mark C. Montigny for legislation to establish safe staffing levels at skilled nursing facilities.  Elder Affairs.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 356 OF 2017-2018.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act to establish safe staffing levels at skilled nursing facilities.

 

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

The Department of Public Health shall establish minimum staffing requirements at skilled nursing care facilities and for all level I, II and III long-term care facilities as defined in 105 CMR 150.001. Working with 1199SEIU and other appropriate stakeholders, the department shall develop amendments to the existing nursing services regulations contained in 105 CMR 150.007 that ensure these facilities employ an adequate number of nurses, certified nurse assistants, and other staff to both meet all resident needs and ensure that sufficient nursing staff with the appropriate competencies is working at any given time to assure resident safety and attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each resident, as determined by resident assessments and individual plans of care. Said amended regulations shall include specific standards and direct-care staff-to-resident ratios to ensure consistent delivery of quality care in a safe and sanitary facility.

The department shall issue public recommendations on these issues no later than six months following final passage of this Act.