HB24-1066 Summary

• Enacts two violence prevention acts: "Violence Prevention in Health-care Settings Act" for hospitals, emergency departments, nursing facilities, assisted living residences, and federally qualified health centers; and "Violence Prevention in Behavioral Health Settings Act" for comprehensive community behavioral health providers.

• Requires each covered facility to establish a workplace violence prevention committee (majority clinical staff), develop written prevention plans, provide annual staff training, and conduct quarterly incident reviews with attention to discriminatory patterns.

• Mandates biannual reporting of workplace violence incidents to appropriate state departments, with reports posted publicly after removing personally identifiable information.

• Prohibits facilities from discouraging staff from reporting to law enforcement and bars retaliation or discipline against employees who report incidents in good faith or choose not to report.

• Requires facilities to offer immediate post-incident services including paid relief from duties and mental health treatment for affected staff members; effective September 1, 2024, subject to voter approval if referendum petition is filed.