HF 5264 Summary

• Requires hospitals and nonacute care facilities (nursing homes, boarding care homes) to allow at least one support person of a patient's or resident's choice to be physically present during health care services, cited as the "No Patient Left Alone Act"

• Support persons can include individuals meeting physical, cognitive, mental health, spiritual, or social needs; clergy or lay persons providing religious support; individuals in end-of-life situations; and service providers like hairdressers or barbers

• Facilities must develop written policies describing support person visitation rights and any clinically necessary restrictions, provide maximum access including evening and weekend visits, accommodate groups of six or fewer in end-of-life situations, and offer virtual visitation when physical presence is not feasible

• Restricts facilities from requiring patients or residents to waive support person rights or agree to additional conditions (such as health care directives or do-not-resuscitate orders) as a condition of having a support person present

• Imposes a civil penalty of $500 for each day a facility knowingly or willfully violates the law, with limited exceptions for operating rooms, isolation areas, emergency care situations, and when support persons pose safety risks or violate facility policies