Signed into law
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Illinois Senate
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Co-sponsor
MEDICAL PATIENT RTS-VISITATION
Amends the Community Mental Health Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 405 ILCS 20/0.1 from Ch. 91 1/2, par. 300.1 Adds reference to: 410 ILCS 50/3.2 from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5403.2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Medical Patient Rights Act. Removes language providing that nothing in the Act shall restrict the ability of a health care facility to regulate the hours of visitation, the number of visitors per patient or the movement of visitors within the facility. Provides that, during a period for which the Governor has issued a proclamation declaring that a disaster exists or in the event of an outbreak or epidemic of a communicable disease in the community in which the health care facility is located, a health care facility shall ensure an opportunity for at least one visitor, not counting a clergy person, to visit a resident or patient of the health care facility. Requires visitation to be subject to the guidelines, conditions, and limitations of the health care facility's visitation policy and any rules or guidelines established by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Provides that visitors may be required by the health care facility to submit to health screenings necessary to prevent the spread of infectious disease. Provides that a health care facility may restrict a visitor who does not pass its health screening requirement and require a visitor to adhere to infection control procedures. Provides that a health care facility may deny visitation under the Act if the situation demands. Makes other changes. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the engrossed bill with the following changes. Authorizes a skilled nursing home, extended care facility, or intermediate care facility to prohibit an individual from visiting a resident or patient of the nursing home or facility if specific facts demonstrate that the individual would endanger his or her physical health or safety or the health or safety of a resident, patient, or health care worker of the nursing home or facility. Requires such a denial to be in writing and provided to the individual and the resident or patient with whom the individual was denied visitation. Requires each skilled nursing home, extended care facility, and intermediate care facility to inform each resident of the nursing home or facility (or that individual's representative) of the resident's visitation rights and the facility's visitation-related policies and procedures. Specifies that these nursing homes and facilities must not restrict, limit, or otherwise deny visitation privileges on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability. Requires the nursing homes and facilities to ensure that all visitors enjoy full and equal visitation privileges, consistent with the residents' preferences.
