HB906: HB906 Health; require long-term care facilities to post a link on their websites to the official website of the office of the long-term care ombudsman

26 LC 60 0314S The House Committee on Human Relations and Aging offers the following substitute to HB 906: A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapters 7 and 8 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating1 to regulation and construction of hospitals and other health ca re facilities and care and2 protection of indigent and elderly patients, respectively, so a s to permit administration of3 certain medications to residents of personal care homes and ass isted living facilities; to4 require long-term care facilities to post a link on their websites to the official website of the5 office of the long-term care ombudsman; to provide for penalties; to provide for exemptions;6 to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and7 for other purposes.8 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:9 SECTION 1.10 Chapter 7 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to regulation and11 construction of hospitals and other health care facilities, by revising subparagraph (h)(4)(B)12 of Code Section 31-7-12, relating to personal care homes, licen sing and registration,13 requirements, exemptions, and enforcement, as follows:14 "(B) Administer insulin, epinephrine, GLP-1, and B12 pursuant to physician direction15 and protocol;"16 H. B. 906 (SUB) - 1 - 26 LC 60 0314S SECTION 2.17 Said chapter is further amended by revising subparagraph (g)(7) (B) of Code18 Section 31-7-12.2, relating to assisted living communities, lic ensing and regulation,19 medication aides, certification, and requirements, as follows:20 "(B) Administer insulin, epinephrine, GLP-1, and B12 pursuant to physician direction21 and protocol;"22 SECTION 3.23 Chapter 8 of Title 31, relating to care and protection of indig ent and elderly patients, is24 amended by revising Code Section 31-8-59, relating to notice to residents, as follows:25 "31-8-59.26 (a) The state ombudsman shall prepare and distribute to each long-term care facility in the27 state a written notice describing the long-term care ombudsman program and the procedure28 to follow in making a complaint, including the address and telephone number of the state29 ombudsman and community ombudsman, if any. The administrator shall give the written30 notice required by this Code section subsection to each resident and his or her legally31 appointed guardian, if any, upon admission. The administrator shall also post such written32 notice in conspicuous public places in the facility in accordance with procedures provided33 by the state ombudsman and shall give such notice to any reside nt and his or her legally34 appointed guardian, if any, who did not receive it upon admission. The failure to provide35 the notices required by this Code section subsection shall be a ground upon which the36 department may revoke any permit issued to a long-term care facility under Code Section37 31-7-1 Article 1 of this chapter.38 (b) Each individual long-term care facility which maintains a website shall post in a39 prominent location on such website a link to the official website of the state long-term care40 ombudsman. The link shall be preceded with the following statement:41 H. B. 906 (SUB) - 2 - 26 LC 60 0314S 'The long-term care ombudsman program is a federally authorized independent42 organization that helps residents of nursing homes, personal ca re homes, and43 assisted living communities resolve complaints. The service is confidential and44 free of charge. www.georgia.ombudsman.org'45 (c)(1) If a long-term care facility violates any provision of subsection (b) of this Code46 section, the department shall be authorized to:47 (A) For the first violation within a consecutive 12 month peri od, issue a formal48 warning to any long-term care facility;49 (B) For the second violation within a consecutive 12 month per iod, impose a civil50 monetary penalty of $100.00 on a long-term care facility; and51 (C) For the third and each subsequent violation within a 12 mo nth period, impose a52 civil monetary penalty of $200.00 on a long-term care facility.53 (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, the department shall not impose54 any penalty on a long-term care facility for a violation of sub section (b) of this Code55 section within a 12 month period if such violation consists solely of a website link that56 is broken, inoperable, or misdirected.57 (3) Failure to maintain the website link required by subsection (b) of this Code section58 shall not result in the revocation of a license or permit."59 SECTION 4.60 This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2027.61 SECTION 5.62 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.63 H. B. 906 (SUB) - 3 -