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GA HB1332
Bill
Status
Introduced
2/20/2024
Primary Sponsor
Mesha Mainor
Click for details
AI Summary
- Healthcare facilities in Georgia must allow patients in-person contact with a designated legal representative for at least one hour per day during any hospitalization or treatment exceeding 12 hours, effective July 1, 2024
- Applies to hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, skilled nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, personal care homes, assisted living communities, hospice facilities, and other licensed healthcare institutions
- A patient's attending physician may restrict or postpone legal representative access for up to 48 hours on a case-by-case basis for patients in operating rooms, transplant wards, burn units, or those requiring physical isolation for violent psychiatric episodes or exceptional immunocompromised conditions
- Facilities may temporarily suspend or terminate a legal representative's access for failure to comply with reasonable safety requirements or when the patient is in law enforcement or correctional custody; reasonable compliance costs may be charged to the representative
- The Governor is prohibited from waiving these provisions under emergency powers, and the department is authorized to take civil, disciplinary, or administrative action against noncompliant facilities
Legislative Description
No Patient Left Alone Act; enact
Last Action
House Second Readers
2/22/2024
Committee Referrals
Health2/21/2024
Full Bill Text
No bill text available