Module 3 Legislative Bill Summary & Proposed Amendment Assignment

A bill summary summarizes a bill in layperson's terms.

For this assignment, assume that you are a healthcare administrator at a Washington State Hospital. Leadership at your hospital has heard rumors about House Bill 1983 but has not had time to learn more about it. You have been asked to review House Bill 1983and provide: 1) a bill summary, and 2) a proposed amendment for leadership's consideration.

Your summary should:

• 1) Summarize the bill, in your own words, in no more than 2 paragraphs
• 2) Identify a feasible concern that the hospital may have about the bill and suggest a possible amendment of the bill that would address this concern. In no more than 2 paragraphs, explain the concern and describe how the bill could be amended to address the concern.

AN ACT Relating to a hospital patient's right to visitors; and 1adding new sections to chapter 70.41 RCW.2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 70.41 4RCW to read as follows:5 Subject to reasonable restrictions to protect the rights of 6others and to the patient's right to deny or withdraw consent at any 7time, a patient has the right and a hospital licensed under this 8chapter may not interfere with the patient's right to visitors 9including the patient's immediate family or other relatives and 10others who are visiting with the consent of the patient.11NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 70.41 12RCW to read as follows:13 (1) In circumstances in which limitations must be placed on 14patient visitation due to a public health emergency or other threat 15to the health and safety of the patients and staff of a hospital, 16patients must still be allowed access to an essential support person, 17subject to reasonable limitations on such access tailored to 18protecting the health and safety of essential support persons, 19patients, and staff.20 H-2031.1 HOUSE BILL 1983 State of Washington 67th Legislature 2022 Regular Session By Representatives Rude, Caldier, Dufault, Eslick, Sutherland, Volz, Graham, and Gilday Read first time 01/13/22. Referred to Committee on Health Care & Wellness. p. 1 HB 1983 (2) The hospital shall allow private, in-person access to the 1patient by the essential support person in the patient's room.2 (3) The hospital shall develop and implement reasonable 3conditions on access by an essential support person tailored to 4protecting the health and safety of the essential support person, 5patients, and staff, based upon the particular public health 6emergency or other health or safety threat.7 (4) The hospital may temporarily suspend an individual's 8designation as an essential support person for failure to comply with 9these requirements or reasonable conditions developed and implemented 10by the hospital that are tailored to protecting the health and safety 11of the essential support person, patient, and staff, based upon the 12particular public health emergency or other health or safety threat. 13Unless immediate action is necessary to prevent an imminent and 14serious threat to the health or safety of patients or staff, the 15hospital shall attempt to resolve the concerns with the essential 16support person and the patient prior to temporarily suspending the 17individual's designation as an essential support person. The 18suspension shall last no longer than 48 hours during which time the 19hospital shall contact the department for guidance and shall provide 20the essential support person information regarding the steps the 21essential support person must take to resume the visits, such as 22agreeing to comply with reasonable conditions tailored to protecting 23the health and safety of the essential support person, patients, and 24staff, based upon the particular public health emergency or other 25health or safety threat.26 (5) An essential support person must be:27 (a) At least 18 years of age; and28 (b) Designated by the patient, or by the patient's 29representative, if the patient is determined to be incapacitated.30 --- END --- p. 2 HB 1983