PRINTER'S NO. 1812
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1637
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY BURNS, McNEILL, N. NELSON, CIRESI, FREEMAN,
MILLARD, DeLUCA AND ZIMMERMAN, JUNE 15, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, JUNE 15, 2021
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An
act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in departmental powers and
duties as to licensing, providing for reports to coroners.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Article X of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31,
No.21), known as the Human Services Code, is amended by adding a
subarticle to read:
(e) Reports to Coroners
Section 1091. Reporting Required.--Notwithstanding section
1218-B of the act of August 9, 1955 (P.L.323, No.130), known as
"The County Code," an assisted living residence or personal care
home shall report each death of a patient of the assisted living
residence or personal care home which occurs in the building or
on the grounds of the assisted living residence or personal care
home to the coroner of the county in which the assisted living
residence or personal care home is located regardless of the
presumed cause of death. The following shall apply:
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(1) The report shall be made as soon as practicable after
the discovery of the death of the patient.
(2) The body of the patient shall not be moved from the
location where it was discovered or released to a funeral home
or crematorium prior to the authorization of the coroner.
Section 1092. Request for Information.--The coroner under
section 1091 may request that the assisted living residence or
personal care home provide information on the deceased patient,
including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) The presumed cause of death of the patient as stated by
the treating physician.
(2) All medical records of the patient.
(3) All incident reports involving the patient.
(4) Any known trauma experienced by the patient, regardless
of whether the trauma occurred before admittance into the
assisted living residence or personal care home.
Section 1093. Investigation.--Upon receiving the information
under section 1091, if the coroner believes that anything seems
unusual about the circumstances surrounding the death of the
patient, the coroner may examine the body of the patient, review
the medical records of the patient or conduct a full
investigation as provided in Article XII-B of the act of August
9, 1955 (P.L.323, No.130), known as "The County Code."
Additionally, the coroner may request reports filed with any
government agency concerning incidents or complaints involving
the deceased patient, including the name of any individual who
filed the complaint or report.
Section 1094. Contact.--An assisted living facility or
personal care home shall collect and maintain the name and
contact information for each patient's next of kin, which shall
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be updated annually, and shall make that information available
upon request of the coroner.
Section 1095. Procedures.--An assisted living residence or
personal care home may develop procedures for the reporting of
deaths which are not inconsistent with this subarticle.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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