HB521 Summary

• Establishes minimum visitation standards at health care facilities during declared public health emergencies, allowing patients to receive visitors consistent with federal laws and regulations from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• Permits health care facilities to require visitors to comply with reasonable safety protocols and may impose restrictions on caregivers or visitor advocates for uncontrollable infectious disease exposure, active symptoms of infectious disease, or lack of adherence to infection control practices.

• Requires health care facilities to follow all federal laws regarding notice of visitation rights to patients and prohibits restricting visitation based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability.

• Mandates that healthcare facilities allow family or caregiver presence at all times for end-of-life care, support for patients with disabilities where presence is integral to clinical care, and pediatric care where parent or legal guardian presence is required.

• Provides civil immunity to health care facilities from negligence claims related to virus, disease, infection, or contagion exposure from allowing visitation, provided the facility follows applicable federal and state regulations and emergency health orders.