Oklahoma 2022 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB1259 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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3		-	SB1259 HFLR Page 1
4		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	3	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 1259 Page 1 1
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29		-	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION
30		-
31		-	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
32		-
33		-	2nd Session of the 58th Legislature (2022)
34		-
35		-	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
36		-	FOR ENGROSSED
37		-	SENATE BILL NO. 1259 By: Garvin of the Senate
	28	+	ENGROSSED SENATE
	29	+	BILL NO. 1259 By: Garvin of the Senate
38	30
39	31		and
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41	33		Roe of the House
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	38	+	An Act relating to hospitals; amending 63 O.S. 2021,
	39	+	Section 1-706a, which relates to rights of patients;
	40	+	allowing certain patients to have specified
	41	+	professional present; updating statutory reference;
	42	+	exempting certain professionals from certain
	43	+	policies; providing for codification; and providing
	44	+	an effective date.
46	45
47		-	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
48	46
49		-	An Act relating to hospital visitation ; amending 63
50		-	O.S. 2021, Section 1-706a, which relates to t he No
51		-	Patient Left Alone Act; providing for applicability
52		-	of act to certain minor patients; mod ifying
53		-	provisions related to right of adult patients;
54		-	prescribing standard related to presence of visi tors;
55		-	authorizing hospitals to enact policies related to
56		-	visitation hours; providing for policies related to
57		-	end-of-life; modifying provisions related to actions
58		-	against hospitals; authorizing civil actions;
59		-	prescribing remedies; providing for affirmative
60		-	defense to actions; prescribing statute of
61		-	limitation; authorizing recovery of costs and
62		-	attorney fees; providing for codification; and
63		-	declaring an emergency.
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69	52		BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STAT E OF OKLAHOMA:
70	53		SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 63 O.S. 2021, Section 1 -706a, is
71	54		amended to read as follows:
	55	+	Section 1-706a. A. This section shall be known and may be
	56	+	cited as the “No Patient Left Alone Act ”.
	57	+	B. Subject to the provisi ons of subsections D and E and F of
	58	+	this section, each minor who is admitted to a hospital l icensed
	59	+	pursuant to Section 1 -702 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes this
	60	+	title has the right to have a parent, guardian or person standin g in
	61	+	loco parentis who shall have the ability to be present while the
	62	+	minor patient is receiving hospital care.
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73		-	SB1259 HFLR Page 2
74		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	64	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 1259 Page 2 1
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99		-	Section 1-706a. A. This section shall be known and may be
100		-	cited as the "No Patient Left Alone Act".
101		-	B. Subject to the provisi ons of subsections D and E and F of
102		-	this section, each minor who is admitted to a hospital l icensed
103		-	pursuant to Section 1 -702 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes this
104		-	title including a minor patient has the right to have a parent,
105		-	guardian or person standin g in loco parentis who shall have the
106		-	ability to be physically present while the minor patient is
107		-	receiving hospital care.
108	89		C. Subject to the provisions of subsections D and E and F of
109	90		this section, each adult who is admi tted to a hospital licensed
110	91		pursuant to Section 1-702 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes this
111		-	title including a patient hospitalized with COVID -19 has the right
112		-	to designate a spouse, or at least one family member or caregiver
113		-	who shall have the ability to be physically present while the ad ult
114		-	patient is receiving hospital care.
	92	+	title has the right to designate a spouse, family member or
	93	+	caregiver who shall have the ability to be physically present while
	94	+	the adult patient is receiving hospital car e.
115	95		D. Subject to the provisions of subsections E and F of this
116	96		section and in addition to the rights specified in subsection B or C
117	97		of this section, each minor or adult who is admitted for labor and
118	98		delivery to a hospital licensed pursuant to Section 1 -702 of this
119	99		title has the right to have a midwife, doula, or birth coach who
120	100		shall have the ability to be present while the patient is receiving
121	101		hospital care.
	102	+	E. A hospital may establish visitation policies that limit or
	103	+	restrict visitation when:
	104	+	1. The presence of visitors would be medica lly or
	105	+	therapeutically contraindicated in the best clinical judgment of
	106	+	health care professionals;
	107	+	2. The presence of visitors would interfere with the care of or
	108	+	rights of any patient;
	109	+	3. Visitors are engaging in disruptive, threatening or violent
	110	+	behavior toward any staff me mber, patient or other visitor; or
	111	+	4. Visitors are noncompliant with hospital policy.
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123		-	SB1259 HFLR Page 3
124		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	113	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 1259 Page 3 1
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149		-	E. A hospital may establish visitation policies that limit or
150		-	restrict visitation when:
151		-	1. The presence of visitors would be medically or
152		-	therapeutically contraindicated in the best clinical judgment of
153		-	health care professionals; however, a diagnosis of COVID-19 alone
154		-	shall not constitute a medical or therapeutic cause for visitation
155		-	rights to be removed;
156		-	2. The presence of visitors would interfere with the care of or
157		-	rights of any patient;
158		-	3. Visitors are engaging in disruptive, threatening or violent
159		-	behavior toward any staff member, patient or other visitor; or
160		-	4. Visitors are noncompliant with hospital policy.
161	138		E. F. A hospital may require visitors to wear personal
162	139		protective equipment, provided that any such required equipment
163	140		shall be provided by the h ospital. A hospital may require visitors
164	141		to comply with reasonable safety protocols and rules of conduct.
165	142		The hospital may revoke visitation rights for failure to comply with
166	143		this section.
167		-	F. G. A hospital may enact policies establishing reasonable
168		-	visitation hours; provided, the policies allow for a compassionate
169		-	exemption process for twenty-four-hour visitation in end-of-life
170		-	scenarios.
171		-	H. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a
	144	+	F. G. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a
172	145		hospital to allow a visit or to enter an operating room, isolation
	146	+	room, isolation unit, behavioral health setting or other typically
	147	+	restricted area or to remain present during the administration of
	148	+	emergency care in critical situations . Nothing in this section
	149	+	shall be construed to require a hospital to allo w a visitor access
	150	+	beyond the rooms, units or wards in which the patient the visitor is
	151	+	visiting is receiving care or beyond general common areas in the
	152	+	hospital.
	153	+	G. H. The rights specified in this sect ion may not be
	154	+	terminated, suspended or waived by the ho spital, the State
	155	+	Department of Health or any governmental entity, notwithstanding
	156	+	declarations of emergency declared by the Governor or the
	157	+	Legislature. No hospital licensed pursuant to Section 1 -702 of
	158	+	Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title shall require a patient
	159	+	to waive the rights specified in this section.
	160	+	H. I. Each hospital licensed pursuant to Section 1 -702 of Title
	161	+	63 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title shall post on its website
173	162
174		-	SB1259 HFLR Page 4
175		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	163	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 1259 Page 4 1
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200		-	room, isolation unit, behavioral health setting or other typically
201		-	restricted area or to remain present during the administration of
202		-	emergency care in critical situations . Nothing in this section
203		-	shall be construed to require a hospital to allo w a visitor access
204		-	beyond the rooms, units or wards in which the patient the visitor i s
205		-	visiting is receiving care or beyond general common areas in the
206		-	hospital.
207		-	G. I. The rights specified in this sect ion may not be
208		-	terminated, suspended or waived by the ho spital, the State
209		-	Department of Health or any governmental entity, notwithstanding
210		-	declarations of emergency declared by the Governor or the
211		-	Legislature. No hospital licensed pursuant to Section 1 -702 of
212		-	Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title shall require a patient
213		-	to waive the rights specified in this section.
214		-	H. J. Each hospital licensed pursuant to Section 1-702 of Title
215		-	63 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title shall post on its website
216	188		informational materials developed by the State Department of Health
217	189		explaining the rights specified in this section . The State
218	190		Department of Health shall develop such information al materials and
219	191		make the materials available to hospitals for this purpose.
220		-	I. K. Unless expressly required by federal law or regulation,
	192	+	I. J. Unless expressly required by federal law or regulation,
221	193		the State Department of Health or any other state agency shall not
222	194		take any action against a hospital for:
	195	+	1. Giving a visitor individual access to a hospital -controlled
	196	+	property or location;
	197	+	2. Failing to protect or otherwi se ensure the safety or comfort
	198	+	of a visitor given access to a hospital-controlled property or
	199	+	location;
	200	+	3. Failing to follow the guidelines of the Centers for Disease
	201	+	Control and Prevention or other federal guidelines that req uire or
	202	+	recommend restrictin g visitor access; or
	203	+	4. The acts or omissions of any visitor who is given access to
	204	+	a hospital-controlled property or location.
	205	+	SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
	206	+	in the Oklahoma Stat utes as Section 1-706b of Title 63, unless there
	207	+	is created a duplicati on in numbering, reads as follows:
	208	+	A midwife, doula, or birth coach who is performing services
	209	+	under a contract directly with a patient admitted for labor and
	210	+	delivery to a hospital lic ensed pursuant to Section 1-702 of Title
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224		-	SB1259 HFLR Page 5
225		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	212	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 1259 Page 5 1
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250		-	1. Giving a visitor individual access to a hospital -controlled
251		-	property or location;
252		-	2. Failing to protect or otherwi se ensure the safety or comfort
253		-	of a visitor given access to a hospital-controlled property or
254		-	location;
255		-	3. Failing to follow the guidelines of the Centers for Disease
256		-	Control and Prevention or other federal guidelines that req uire or
257		-	recommend restrictin g visitor access all reasonable facility safety
258		-	protocols and rules of conduct ; or
259		-	4. The acts or omissions of any visitor who is given access to
260		-	a hospital-controlled property or location.
261		-	SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
262		-	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1-706b of Title 63, unless there
263		-	is created a duplicati on in numbering, reads as follows:
264		-	A midwife, doula, or birth coach who is performing services
265		-	under a contract directly with a patient admitted for labor and
266		-	delivery to a hospital l icensed pursuant to Section 1-702 of Title
267	237		63 of the Oklahoma Statutes shall not be subject to the same
268	238		required policies of a n employee or contractor of the hospital.
269		-	SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
270		-	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1 -706c of Title 63, unless there
271		-	is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
	239	+	SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2022.
	240	+	Passed the Senate the 17th day of February, 2022.
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273		-	SB1259 HFLR Page 6
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299		-	A. Where a complaint has been made against a hospital for
300		-	violating the No Patient Left Alone Act, a complainant may bring a
301		-	civil action against the hospital for:
302		-	1. Injunctive relief to prevent the hospital from further
303		-	violations of this section;
304		-	2. Statutory damages in the amount of Two Thousand Five Hundred
305		-	Dollars ($2,500.00); and
306		-	3. Costs and attorney fees.
307		-	B. A court may not award relief under this sect ion in response
308		-	to a violation of the No Patient Left Alone Act if the defen dant
309		-	demonstrates that the defendant previously paid the full amount of
310		-	statutory damages in a previous action for that particular incident
311		-	which violated the No Patient Left Alone Act, or if the defendant
312		-	demonstrates that the defen dant previously settled a civil action
313		-	for the same incident that violated the No Patient Left Alone Act.
314		-	C. A person may bring an action under the No Patient Left Alone
315		-	Act not later than one (1) year after the date of the violations of
316		-	the No Patient Left Alone Act.
317		-	D. A defendant of an action under this section shall be
318		-	entitled to costs and attorney fees as the court may find
319		-	appropriate for any unmerited claims.
320		-	SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary fo r the preservation
321		-	of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
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323		-	SB1259 HFLR Page 7
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	244	+	Presiding Officer of the Sen ate
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349		-	declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
350		-	be in full force from and after its passage and approva l.
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352		-	COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC HEALTH, dated 04/13/2022 -
353		-	DO PASS, As Amended.
	247	+	Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________,
	248	+	2022.
	249	+
	250	+
	251	+
	252	+	Presiding Officer of the House
	253	+	of Representatives
	254	+