HB1689: Patient visitation; request visitation from clergy members during declared public health emergency.

Legislative Summary

Patient visitation; visitation from clergy members. Requires hospitals, nursing homes, and certified nursing facilities to allow patients to receive visits from clergy members during a declared public health emergency related to a communicable disease of public health threat, unless the hospital, nursing home, or certified nursing facility demonstrates that it is unable to reasonably accommodate the visits without undue hardship on the facility. Under the bill, the hospital, nursing home, or certified nursing facility may restrict visits of a clergy member who fails a health screening measure or tests positive for a communicable disease of public health threat. If the hospital, nursing home, or certified nursing facility establishes a protocol restricting the total number of individuals permitted to visit a patient, clergy members shall not be counted toward that total number. The bill provides immunity for hospitals, nursing homes, and certified nursing facilities and their employees and contractors from liability for injury or death due to exposure to a communicable disease of public health threat resulting from or related to such visitation, except in limited circumstances.