HB1106: HB1106 Nursing Home Supplemental Fund; establish and provide a purpose

26 LC 60 0259 House Bill 1106 By: Representatives Berry of the 56th, Miller of the 62nd, Park of the 107th, Barnes of the 86th, Drenner of the 85th, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 2 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the1 Department of Community Health, so as to establish and provide a purpose for the Nursing2 Home Supplemental Fund; to provi de for definitions; to provide for administration of the3 fund; to provide for eligibility criteria, terms, and conditions; to provide for an application4 process; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for r eporting; to provide for5 automatic repeal; to provide for related matters; to provide for a contingent effective date;6 to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8 SECTION 1.9 Chapter 2 of Title 31 the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Department of10 Community Health, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:11 "31-2-20.12 (a) As used in this Code section, the term:13 (1) 'Fund' means the Nursing Home Supplemental Fund establishe d pursuant to14 subsection (b) of this Code Section.15 H. B. 1106 - 1 - 26 LC 60 0259 (2) 'Nursing home' means any building, facility, or place requ ired to be licensed or16 permitted as such by the department under Chapter 7 of this title.17 (b) There is established the Nursing Home Supplemental Fund fo r the purpose of18 providing financial assistance, including, but not limited to, loans, loan guarantees, and19 grants, to financially distressed nursing homes in accordance w ith subsection (d) of this20 Code section.21 (c) The department shall:22 (1) Be authorized to apply for, receive, administer, and use a ny grant or funds made23 available to the department from appropriations by the General Assembly or from any24 other source for furthering the purposes of the fund;25 (2) Establish criteria, terms, and conditions consistent with the provisions of this Code26 section for eligible applicants and eligible nursing homes. Such eligibility criteria, terms,27 and conditions shall in clude, but shall not be limited to, docu mentation demonstrating28 actual nursing home revenue losses in excess of $1 million during any fiscal year that are29 directly attributable to a reduction in or elimination of feder al funding for Medicaid30 effective on or after July 4, 2025;31 (3) Implement an application process and provide financial assistance consistent with the32 provisions of this Code section; and33 (d) Beginning October 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the de partment shall submit a34 detailed report to the Governor and notify members of the Gener a l A s s e m b l y o f t h e35 availability of such report in the manner which it deems to be most effective and efficient. 36 Such report shall contain the department's findings and recomme ndations regarding the37 administration and implementation of this Code section. Such a nnual reports shall be38 published on the department's website.39 (e) The board shall be authorized to promulgate rules and regu lations as reasonably40 necessary to implement and administer this Code section."41 H. B. 1106 - 2 - 26 LC 60 0259 SECTION 2.42 This Act shall become effective only upon the effective date of an appropriation of funds for43 the purposes of this Act in a line item making specific reference to full funding of this Act44 in an appropriations Act enacted by the General Assembly and sh all stand repealed by45 operation of law on December 31, 2031, if no such appropriation of funds is made prior to46 such date.47 SECTION 3.48 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.49 H. B. 1106 - 3 -