ENGR. S. A. TO ENGR. H. B. NO. 2687 Page 1 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
ENGROSSED SENATE AMENDMENT
TO
ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 2687 By: Hasenbeck, Pittman and
Stark of the House
and
Bergstrom of the Senate
[ public health - creating the No Patient Left Alone
Act - effective date ]
AMENDMENT NO. 1. Page 1, strike the title, enacting clause and
entire bill and insert
”An Act relating to hospitals; creating the No
Patient Left Alone Act; providing for minor and adult
patients to designate a visitor with visitation
rights; authorizing hospital to establish certain
visitation policies; allowing hospital to mandate
certain safety protocols and revoke visitation rights
for failure to comply; providing certain
construction; prohibiting termination, suspension or
waiver of visitation rights by certain parties;
providing certain limitations; prohibiting hospitals
from requiring patient waiver of certain rights;
requiring posting of certain informational materials;
requiring the State Department of Health to develop
certain informational materials; prohibiting action
against hospital by state agency for certain acts or
omissions; providing for codification; and providing
an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
ENGR. S. A. TO ENGR. H. B. NO. 2687 Page 2 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1 -706a of Title 63, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. This section shall be known and may be cited as the "No
Patient Left Alone Act ".
B. Subject to the provisions of subsections D and E of this
section, each minor who is admitted to a hospital licensed pursuant
to Section 1-702 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes has the right
to have a parent, guardian or person standing in loco parentis who
shall have the ability to be present while the minor patient is
receiving hospital care.
C. Subject to the provisions of subsections D and E of this
section, each adult who is admitted to a hospital licensed pursuant
to Section 1-702 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes has the right
to designate a spouse, family member or caregiver who shall have the
ability to be physically present while the adult patient is
receiving hospital care.
D. A hospital may establish visitation policies that limit or
restrict visitation when:
1. The presence of visitors would be medically or
therapeutically contraindicated in the best clinical judgment of
health care professionals;
2. The presence of visitors would interfere with the care of or
rights of any patient;
ENGR. S. A. TO ENGR. H. B. NO. 2687 Page 3 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
3. Visitors are engaging in disruptive, thre atening or violent
behavior toward any staff member, patient or other visitor; or
4. Visitors are noncompliant with hospital policy.
E. A hospital may require visitors to wear personal protective
equipment, provided that any such required equipment shall be
provided by the hospital. A hospital may require visitors to comply
with reasonable safety protocols and rules of conduct. The hospital
may revoke visitation rights for failure to comply with this
section.
F. Nothing in this section shall be constru ed to require a
hospital to allow a visitor to enter an operating room, isolation
room, isolation unit , behavioral health setting or other typically
restricted area or to remain present during the administration of
emergency care in critical situations. N othing in this section
shall be construed to require a hospital to allow a visitor access
beyond the rooms, units or wards in which the patient the visitor is
visiting is receiving care or beyond general common areas in the
hospital.
G. The rights specifi ed in this section may not be terminated,
suspended or waived by the hospital, the State Department of Health
or any governmental entity , notwithstanding declarations of
emergency declared by the Governor or the Legislature. No hospital
licensed pursuant to Section 1-702 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma
ENGR. S. A. TO ENGR. H. B. NO. 2687 Page 4 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Statutes shall require a patient to waive the rights specified in
this section.
H. Each hospital licensed pursuant to Section 1 -702 of Title 63
of the Oklahoma Statutes shall post on its website informational
materials developed by the State Department of Health explaining the
rights specified in this section. The State Department of Health
shall develop such information materials and make the materials
available to hospitals for this purpose.
I. Unless expressly required by federal law or regulation, the
State Department of Health or any other state agency shall not take
any action against a hospital for:
1. Giving a visitor individual access to a hospital -controlled
property or location;
2. Failing to prote ct or otherwise ensure the safety or comfort
of a visitor given access to a hospital -controlled property or
location;
3. Failing to follow the guidelines of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention or other federal guidelines that require or
recommend restricting visitor access; or
4. The acts or omissions of any visitor who is given access to
a hospital-controlled property or location.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2021. ”
ENGR. S. A. TO ENGR. H. B. NO. 2687 Page 5 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Passed the Senate the 19th day of April, 2021.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________,
2021.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
ENGR. H. B. NO. 2687 Page 1 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 2687 By: Hasenbeck, Pittman and
Stark of the House
and
Bergstrom of the Senate
[ public health - creating the No Patient Left Alone
Act - effective date ]
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codifie d
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1 -706a of Title 63, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
This act shall be known and may be cited as the "No Patient Left
Alone Act".
SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new se ction of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1 -706b of Title 63, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. Subject to the provisions of subsection D of this section,
each minor who is admitted to a hospita l licensed pursuant to
Section 1-702 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes has the right to
have a parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis who
ENGR. H. B. NO. 2687 Page 2 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
shall have the unrestricted privilege of being present while the
minor patient is receiving hospital care.
B. Subject to the provisions of subsection D of this section,
each adult who is admitted to a hospital licensed pursuant to
Section 1-702 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes has the right to
designate a spouse, family member, or friend who shall h ave the
unrestricted privilege of being present while the adult patient is
receiving hospital care.
C. The rights specified in this section may not be terminated,
suspended, or waived by the hospital, the State Department of
Health, or any governmental en tity, notwithstanding declarations of
emergency declared by the Governor or the Legislature.
D. Hospitals may require visitors to wear personal protective
equipment, provided that any such required equipment shall be
provided by the hospital. Nothing in this section shall be
construed to require a hospital to allow a visitor to enter an
operating room or other typically restricted area or to remain
present during the administration of emergency care in critical
situations.
E. No hospital licensed pursua nt to Section 1-702 of Title 63
of the Oklahoma Statutes shall require a patient to waive the rights
specified in this section.
F. Each hospital licensed pursuant to Section 1 -702 of Title 63
of the Oklahoma Statutes shall post in a conspicuous place on t he
ENGR. H. B. NO. 2687 Page 3 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
licensed premises informational materials developed by the State
Department of Health explaining the rights specified in this
section.
SECTION 5. This act shall become effective November 1, 2021.
Passed the House of Representatives the 11th day of March, 2021.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the ___ day of __________, 2021.
Presiding Officer of the Senate