Researcher: ND Page 1 3/29/21
OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 973
AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE VOICE OF RESIDENTS AND
FAMILY COUNCILS.
SUMMARY
This bill requires state agencies or legislative committees of
cognizance to inform the (1) state long-term care ombudsman and (2)
Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity
executive director about statewide policies, legislative proposals, or
regulations on long-term care facility living and care conditions. They
must do this within seven days after such policy, proposal, or
regulation is introduced.
The bill then requires the ombudsman and executive director to
seek testimony from family councils and the Statewide Coalition of
Presidents of Resident Councils on these policies, legislative proposals,
or regulations. It requires state agencies and legislative committees of
cognizance to accept this testimony in a manner and format that
provides for the greatest input from resident and family council
members, including remote testimony via audio-video technology.
The bill also requires any state task force on long-term care facility
care or living conditions that is appointed by the legislature or a state
agency to include as members representatives of resident and family
councils. The task force chairperson must schedule meetings in a way
that provides for the greatest input from resident and family council
members, in a similar manner as described above.
Under the bill, long-term care facilities include nursing homes and
assisted living facilities. The bill defines “resident councils” as those
elected and run by long-term care facility residents that bring to
facility management concerns about resident living and care
conditions. “Family councils” are those comprised of family members 2021SB-00973-R000192-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 2 3/29/21
of long-term care facility residents that bring concerns to facility
management on resident living and care conditions.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
COMMITTEE ACTION
Aging Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 16 Nay 0 (03/11/2021)