WI AB418

Requires assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and hospitals to allow at least one clergy member and one "essential visitor" (guardian, health care power of attorney agent, or designated individual) to visit residents/patients during communicable disease outbreaks, even when general visitation is restricted

Permits essential visitor access for compassionate care situations including end-of-life, grieving, recent admission adjustment difficulties, or when a health care professional determines benefits outweigh risks

Allows facilities to deny visitation if the visitor refuses to follow health/safety policies, if communicable disease status is unknown and precautions unavailable, if the resident/patient is contagious without adequate precautions, or if the resident/patient declines the visit

Permits facilities to follow more restrictive federal CDC or CMS guidance instead of the bill's requirements when such guidance is issued

Grants civil and criminal immunity to health care professionals, facilities, and their employees for acts or omissions while allowing visitation under this law, and allows individuals to file complaints with the Department of Health Services for noncompliance