CS/CS/HB 443 - Nursing Home and Assisted Living Facility Resident Rights

• Requires nursing homes and assisted living facilities to provide residents and the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program with current contact information including a functional telephone number, and notify them of changes within 30 days.

• Establishes failure to provide current contact information as grounds for agency action against licensees, with violations enforceable through administrative fines up to $500 per violation per day.

• Requires nursing home facilities to provide access to or copies of resident records within 24 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) for current residents or 30 working days for former residents, with an exception for psychiatric records if disclosure could endanger the resident's life or safety.

• Requires assisted living facilities to report changes to facility name, address, and phone number electronically to the agency, which must post updates on the consumer information website within 30 days.

• Requires at least 45 days' written notice for relocation or termination of residency from assisted living facilities, with written reasons provided to the resident or legal representative.

• Effective date: July 1, 2018.