CA AB2598

Requires hospitals, convalescent hospitals, and board and care facilities to make a reasonable attempt to notify known next of kin when a person dies at the facility or when a deceased person's body is transferred there

Establishes civil penalties of $200 per day, up to a maximum of $50,000, for facilities that fail to make reasonable notification efforts to known next of kin

Penalties are calculated from the time a reasonable notification effort would take until the next of kin actually learns of the death

Authorizes the State Department of Public Health (for hospitals) and State Department of Social Services (for residential care facilities) to assess penalties after providing notice and opportunity to be heard

Maintains existing liability for facilities that fail to notify the public administrator when no next of kin can be located, including costs of interment and losses to the estate