Senate File 536 - Introduced SENATE FILE 536 BY CELSI A BILL FOR An Act relating to the office of long-term care ombudsman and 1 making an appropriation. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1524XS (2) 91 lh/ko
S.F. 536 Section 1. OFFICE OF LONG-TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN 1 APPROPRIATION. 2 1. There is appropriated from the general fund of the state 3 to the office of long-term care ombudsman for the fiscal year 4 beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026, the following 5 amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the 6 purposes designated: 7 To increase the number of local long-term care ombudsmen, 8 including for salaries, support, administration, maintenance, 9 and miscellaneous purposes: 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 300,000 11 2. a. The funding appropriated in this section is in 12 addition to any other funds appropriated from the general fund 13 of the state and any other full-time equivalent positions 14 authorized for local long-term care ombudsmen during the same 15 fiscal year. The funding shall be used to support local 16 ombudsmen in fulfilling their duties pursuant to section 231.42 17 including to provide the resources necessary to complete site 18 visits and to carry out other duties to protect and improve the 19 health, safety, welfare, and rights of residents and tenants. 20 b. To the extent possible, the office of long-term care 21 ombudsman shall use the additional funding to prioritize site 22 visits to nursing facilities that have changed ownership in the 23 immediately preceding consecutive twelve months, especially 24 nursing facilities that have transitioned to private equity 25 ownership. 26 EXPLANATION 27 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 28 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 29 This bill relates the office of long-term care ombudsman and 30 makes an appropriation. 31 The bill appropriates funds from the general fund of 32 the state to the office of long-term care ombudsman for FY 33 2025-2026 to be used to increase the number of local long-term 34 care ombudsmen. The funding appropriated is in addition to any 35 -1- LSB 1524XS (2) 91 lh/ko 1/ 2
S.F. 536 other funds appropriated from the general fund of the state and 1 any other full-time equivalent positions authorized for local 2 long-term care ombudsmen during the same fiscal year. The 3 funding shall be used to support local ombudsmen in fulfilling 4 their duties including to provide the resources necessary 5 to complete site visits and to carry out other duties to 6 protect and improve the health, safety, welfare, and rights of 7 residents and tenants. The office of long-term care ombudsman 8 shall use the funding to prioritize site visits of nursing 9 facilities that have changed ownership, especially site visits 10 of those that have transitioned to private equity ownership. 11 -2- LSB 1524XS (2) 91 lh/ko 2/ 2