THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

358

TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013

S.D. 2

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 with inspections occurring on January 1, 2015, the department of health shall post on its website electronic copies of reports for all inspections it performs of 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 five working days of the conclusion of each inspection and shall include 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 the department of health deems appropriate.

     (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.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2013-2014 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014-2015 to fund computer equipment, website and database development, and staff support, including one full-time equivalent position (1.0 FTE).

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.



 

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 occurring on 1/1/15, and afterward; provided that any report that includes a violation be removed from the website after three years.  Effective 7/1/2050.  (SD2)

 

 

 

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