HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4134        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Jeffrey Rosario Turco

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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 promoting infection prevention and privacy for residents of nursing homes.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4134        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act promoting infection prevention and privacy for residents of nursing homes.

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. Subsection (g) of Section 70E of chapter 111 of the general laws as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition is hereby amended by striking the remainder of the sentence after the words, “other rendering of care,” and inserting the following:

“and in their assigned room, including, but not limited to being the sole resident of such room, unless said resident, or their guardian or health care proxy, mutually agrees to share the room with a spouse or not more than one other resident, and that in the absence of a second resident, the bathroom is not shared with any other person.”

SECTION 2. The executive office of health and human services shall, if necessary, seek federal approval for any appropriate increase in rates for such single-occupancy rooms.

SECTION 3. The department of public health shall promulgate appropriate regulations to promote the use of single rooms and single bathrooms in every licensed facility in the Commonwealth.

SECTION 4. This act shall apply to any new or substantial renovation, of a licensed facility. Every facility that holds a valid license as of the effective date of this act shall be allowed not more than three years from the date of this act to achieve compliance with the provisions herein.

SECTION 5. Subsection (e) of said section 35TTT of chapter 10, as amended by chapter 197 of the acts of 2024, is hereby amended by inserting after the word, “facilities,” the following words, “provided, however, that priority shall be given to projects that are intended to reconfigure facilities to provide single occupancy rooms for residents.