SF20 Summary

• Establishes comprehensive SARS-CoV-2 infection control requirements for nursing homes, boarding care homes, assisted living facilities, and home care providers, including baseline and serial testing, personal protective equipment use, and isolation protocols.

• Creates new private enforcement mechanisms allowing residents and representatives to bring civil actions for violations of resident rights in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, recovering actual damages or $3,000 (whichever is greater) plus attorney fees.

• Implements new consumer protections for assisted living clients including mandatory pre-termination meetings, detailed notice requirements, appeal rights to Office of Administrative Hearings, and coordinated move procedures when services or housing are terminated.

• Suspends terminations and discharges of long-term care residents during the COVID-19 peacetime emergency, except for CDC-approved transfers for infection control or health/safety emergencies.

• Establishes the Long-Term Care COVID-19 Task Force with 25 members representing residents, families, healthcare providers, and advocates to advise commissioners on balancing resident rights with infection control during the pandemic.