Directs the department of health to make publicly available the results of all inspections conducted by the department in nursing homes and other residential health care facilities in the state during the COVID-19 state disaster emergency, and to conduct a comparative study of practices utilized in nursing homes and other residential health care facilities in the state during the pendency of the COVID-19 state disaster emergency and identify best practices for ensuring the containment and prevention of future outbreaks of COVID-19 in residential health care facilities.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8890
IN SENATE
August 7, 2020
___________
Introduced by Sen. MAY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT directing the department of health to make publicly available the
results of all inspections conducted by such department in nursing
homes and other residential health care facilities in the state during
the COVID-19 state disaster emergency and to conduct a comparative
study of practices utilized in nursing homes and other residential
health care facilities in the state during the pendency of the COVID-
19 state disaster emergency and identify best practices for ensuring
the containment and prevention of future outbreaks of COVID-19 in
residential health care facilities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. a. Within thirty days after the effective date of this
2 section, the department of health shall publish on its website, in a
3 location accessible to the public, the results of all inspections
4 conducted by such department in nursing homes and other residential
5 health care facilities in the state during the COVID-19 state disaster
6 emergency declared pursuant to Executive Order No. 202 on March 7, 2020.
7 Such reports shall be published in their entirety; provided, however,
8 that any portion of a report that contains patient-identifying informa-
9 tion shall be redacted. In the event that information in a report is
10 redacted, such department shall note on its website the reason for the
11 redaction.
12 b. During the pendency of the COVID-19 state disaster emergency
13 declared pursuant to Executive Order No. 202 of 2020, the department of
14 health shall release the results of all future inspections conducted by
15 such department in nursing homes in the state within thirty days of the
16 completion of such report. Such reports shall be published in their
17 entirety; provided, however, that any portion of a report that contains
18 patient-identifying information shall be redacted. In the event that
19 information in a report is redacted, such department shall note on its
20 website the reason for the redaction.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD17085-02-0
S. 8890 2
1 § 2. The department of health shall conduct a comparative study of
2 practices utilized in nursing homes and other residential health care
3 facilities in the state during the pendency of the COVID-19 state disas-
4 ter emergency declared pursuant to Executive Order No. 202 of 2020 to
5 protect employees and residents from infection. Such department shall
6 perform a detailed analysis of infection control measures implemented at
7 each facility, staffing levels and other staffing issues, and the
8 success of the facility in maintaining a good quality of life for resi-
9 dents of the facility. Such department shall identify best practices for
10 ensuring the containment and prevention of future outbreaks of COVID-19
11 in residential health care facilities. On or before December 15, 2020,
12 such department shall prepare a report of its findings and publish such
13 report on its website, in a location accessible to the public.
14 § 3. As used in this act:
15 a. "nursing home" means a nursing home as defined in subdivision 1 of
16 section 2895-a of the public health law; and
17 b. "residential health care facility" means a residential health care
18 facility as defined in subdivision 3 of section 2801 of the public
19 health law.
20 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.