Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 226 First Substitute (2021GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Ballard, M.G.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/16/2021

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• requires a facility to make disclosures; and
• creates a penalty.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

LONG-TERM CARE PATIENT AND CONSUMER RIGHTS
PROTECTION
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Melissa G. Ballard
Senate Sponsor: 
Wayne A. Harper
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill regulates assisted living and nursing home facilities.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ defines terms;
▸ requires a facility to make disclosures; and
▸ creates a penalty.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
ENACTS:
26-21-35
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
26-21-35
 is enacted to read:
 26-21-35.
Resident consumer protection.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Eligible requester" means:
(i) a resident;
(ii) a prospective resident;
(iii) a legal representative of a resident or prospective resident; or
(iv) the department.
(b) "Facility" means an assisted living facility or nursing care facility.
(c) "Facility's leadership" means a facility's:
(i) owner;
(ii) administrator;
(iii) director; or
(iv) employee that is in a position to determine which providers have access to the
facility.
(d) "Personal care agency" means a person that provides assistance with activities of
daily living.
(e) "Provider" means a home health agency, hospice provider, medical provider, or
personal care agency.
(f) "Resident" means an individual who resides in a facility.
(2) Subject to other state or federal laws, a facility may limit which providers have
access to the facility if the facility complies with Subsection (3).
(3) (a) A facility that prohibits a provider from accessing the facility shall:
(i) before or at the time a prospective resident or prospective resident's legal
representative signs an admission contract, inform the prospective resident or prospective
resident's legal representative that the facility prohibits one or more providers from accessing
the facility;
(ii) if an eligible requester requests to know which providers have access to the facility,
refer the eligible requester to a member of the facility's leadership; and
(iii) if a provider requests to know whether the provider has access to the facility, refer
the provider to a member of the facility's leadership.
(b) If a facility refers an eligible requester to a member of the facility's leadership under
Subsection (3)(a)(ii), the member of the facility's leadership shall inform the eligible requester:
(i) which providers the facility:
(A) allows to access the facility; or
(B) prohibits from accessing the facility;
(ii) that a provider's access to the facility may change at any time; and
(iii) whether a person in the facility's leadership has a legal or financial interest in a
provider that is allowed to access the facility.
(c) If a facility refers a provider to a member of the facility's leadership under
Subsection (3)(a)(iii), the member of the facility's leadership:
(i) shall disclose whether the provider has access to the facility; and
(ii) may disclose any other information described in Subsection (3)(b).
(d) If a resident is being served by a provider that is later prohibited from accessing the
facility, the facility shall:
(i) allow the provider access to the facility to finish the resident's current episode of
care; or
(ii) provide to the resident a written explanation of why the provider no longer has
access to the facility.
(4) This section does not apply to a facility operated by a government unit.
(5) The department may issue a notice of deficiency if a facility that denies a provider
access under Subsection (2) does not comply with Subsection (3) at the time of the denial.