Requires health insurance policies include coverage for anesthesia for the entire duration of a procedure for which a licensed medical practitioner has issued an order for such anesthesia.
This bill (S 903) creates state-funded training programs for family members and other unpaid caregivers supporting people needing daily assistance due to disability or age. It expands the definition of "informal caregiver" to include non-household members (like older adults caring for minor relatives) and defines "person in need of assistance" broadly to cover those requiring help with daily tasks, including minors with disabilities. Key provisions require the state director to develop culturally sensitive training covering health knowledge, practical care skills, stress management, and resource access, delivered through caregiver resource centers and local networks. The bill mandates annual reports to the legislature tracking program participation and effectiveness in improving care quality.
Expands the description of certain services which are not prohibited by statutes governing the practice of nursing, including direct support staff to nurses.
Requires certain entities to stock opioid antagonists and to store naloxone nasal sprays with or adjacent to automated external defibrillator cabinets.
Directs the commissioner of the office of addiction services and supports to promulgate rules and regulations for providers operating in rural locations while taking into account the extra challenges encountered by such providers, including but not limited to, increased and additional expenses.
Establishes the rare disease advisory council to identify best practices, raise awareness regarding rare diseases, evaluate barriers to access to care, and to make recommendations to the legislature and the governor.
S 2400 creates a workgroup to study blood clots and pulmonary embolisms in the state. The workgroup, appointed by the governor and legislative leaders, will include healthcare providers, patients, family members, and advocates. It must study annual incidence rates, current data collection methods, patient impacts, care standards, emerging treatments, and develop a risk surveillance system. The workgroup will issue policy recommendations within one year to improve patient awareness, surveillance in healthcare facilities (like hospitals), and written risk notices for patients. These recommendations will be published by the health department after submission.
Requires hospitals to have a registered professional nurse as a sitting and voting member of the governing entity responsible for developing a hospital's strategic plan, structure, systems, policies and programs.
Strengthens protections for patients regarding sexual misconduct by medical providers; requires medical expert consultants involved in investigations disclose conflicts of interest and to not be under investigation, on warning, or on probation; requires a zero-tolerance policy to be adopted and training to be provided on sexual misconduct by the board for professional misconduct; includes provisions related to the right to have a chaperone; includes sexual misconduct in the definition of professional misconduct.
S 9145, the "Recovery Ready Workplace Act," creates a certification program for employers to become "recovery ready workplaces" (RRWs), directly affecting businesses with employees and their workers struggling with substance use disorders. Key provisions require employers to implement specific policies, including providing naloxone access, offering anti-stigma training for staff, ensuring equal health coverage for substance use disorder treatment as physical health care, and connecting with recovery organizations within six months of certification. Employers must also develop written plans with employee and union input, address workplace stressors linked to substance misuse, and maintain confidentiality for employees seeking support. The law aims to reduce barriers to care and normalize recovery support in the workplace through structured certification criteria.