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PRINTER'S NO. 3703
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2481
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY MATZIE, SNYDER, A. DAVIS, RAVENSTAHL, DeLUCA,
SCHWEYER, MERSKI, GALLOWAY, WEBSTER, YOUNGBLOOD, STEPHENS,
ROZZI, BURGOS, MILLARD, JAMES, HANBIDGE, THOMAS, HOHENSTEIN,
NEILSON, MALAGARI, FREEMAN, HARKINS, McCLINTON, FIEDLER,
MARSHALL, McNEILL, DELLOSO, ZABEL, HOWARD, GAINEY AND KORTZ,
MAY 4, 2020
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, MAY 4, 2020
AN ACT
Amending the act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), entitled "An
act relating to health care; prescribing the powers and
duties of the Department of Health; establishing and
providing the powers and duties of the State Health
Coordinating Council, health systems agencies and Health Care
Policy Board in the Department of Health, and State Health
Facility Hearing Board in the Department of Justice;
providing for certification of need of health care providers
and prescribing penalties," in powers and duties of the
department, providing for response to COVID-19 pandemic.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known
as the Health Care Facilities Act, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 203. Response to COVID-19 pandemic.
(a) Inspections.--The department shall inspect each long-
term care nursing facility in this Commonwealth to determine and
assess the long-term care nursing facility's control and
mitigation procedures regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
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(b) Testing.--The department shall provide and conduct
testing for all staff and residents at each long-term care
nursing facility in this Commonwealth as part of the long-term
care nursing facility's control and mitigation procedures
regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
(c) Collection and dissemination of information.--The
department shall record and post on the department's publicly
accessible Internet website, on a daily basis, the findings and
assessments made under this section.
(d) Personnel and resources.--The department shall provide
adequate personnel and resources to mitigate an outbreak
resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
(e) Definitions.--The following words and phrases when used
in this section shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"COVID-19." The novel coronavirus as identified in the
proclamation of disaster emergency issued by the Governor on
March 6, 2020, published at 50 Pa.B. 1644 (March 21, 2020), and
any renewal of the state of disaster emergency.
"Long-term care nursing facility." As defined in section
802.1.
"Outbreak." Three or more consecutive days of increasing
cases involving COVID-19 among staff or residents of a long-term
care nursing facility.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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