THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	358
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the department of health is responsible for licensing, certifying, and monitoring several types of care facilities.  Although the department performs inspections to ensure a standard of quality of these facilities using state moneys, the public currently cannot easily access the information contained in the inspection reports.  The legislature finds that the public would benefit from greater access to information on the quality and conditions of care facilities in Hawaii.

     The purpose of this Act is to require the department of health to make available to the public, free of charge, information collected from the department's inspections in certain care facilities.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 321, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part I to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§321‑   Inspections; public notice. (a)  Beginning January 1, 2015, the department of health shall post on its website electronic copies of reports for all inspections it performs in the following state-licensed care facilities:

(1) Adult day health centers;

(2) Adult day care centers;

(3) Community care foster family homes;

(4) Developmental disabilities domiciliary homes as defined in section 321‑15.9;

(5) Developmentally disabled adult foster homes;

(6) Long-term care facilities as defined in section 349‑21(f); and

(7) Special treatment facilities as defined in section 334‑1.

(b)  Each report shall be posted on the department of health's website within       days of the conclusion of each inspection and shall include but not be limited to the following information:

(1) The date of the inspection;

(2) A description of violations of relevant state laws or rules, if applicable;

(3) Plans of correction and the status of corrective actions in response to any violations, if applicable; and

(4) Other information regarding the quality and conditions of the facilities as the department of health deems appropriate in informing the public of their care options.

(c)  Each report posted on the department of health's website that reports a violation committed by a state-licensed care facility as described in subsection (a) shall be removed from the website after three years from the date the report was posted."

     SECTION 3.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Report Title:

Kupuna Caucus; DOH; Care Facilities; Inspections

Description:

Requires the department of health to post on its website reports of all inspections at state-licensed care facilities by January 1, 2015; provided that any report that includes a violation be removed from the website after three years.  (SD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.