CS/HB 7085 Summary: Health Care Disaster Preparedness and Response

• Establishes a statewide special needs shelter registry and registration program to be developed by the Department of Health and local emergency management agencies, with a uniform registration form required by January 1, 2019.

• Requires local emergency management agencies to establish hospital agreements to shelter individuals with high medical complexity or reliance on life support devices, with the Department of Health assisting in developing alternative sheltering options for ineligible registrants.

• Authorizes health care facility employees to enter and remain in curfew areas during declared emergencies to implement emergency management plans, and directs recruitment of faculty and students from state universities and colleges to staff special needs shelters.

• Strengthens emergency management plan requirements for licensed health care facilities (nursing homes, assisted living, home health agencies, and nurse registries) including specific components for evacuation, sheltering, staffing, and service continuity, with enforcement through fines and license suspension/revocation for non-compliance.

• Appropriates approximately $2.8 million for fiscal year 2018-2019 to the Agency for Health Care Administration and Department of Health to implement registry systems, enforcement oversight, and technology infrastructure; effective July 1, 2018.