California 2015-2016 Regular Session Status: In Committee

SB 779 — Skilled nursing facilities: certified nurse assistant staffing.

Last action — Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed Assembly
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2015-2016 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

(1) Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation by the State Department of Public Health of health facilities, including skilled nursing facilities. Existing law requires the department to develop regulations that become effective August 1, 2003, that establish staff-to-patient ratios for direct caregivers working in a skilled nursing facility. Existing law requires that these ratios include separate licensed nurse staff-to-patient ratios in addition to the ratios established for other direct caregivers. Existing law also requires every skilled nursing facility to post information about staffing levels in the manner specified by federal requirements. Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for any person to willfully or repeatedly violate these provisions. This bill would require the department to develop regulations that become effective July 1, 2016, and include a minimum overall staff-to-patient ratio that includes specific staff-to-patient ratios for certified nurse assistants and for licensed nurses that comply with specified requirements. The bill would require the posted information to include a resident census and an accurate report of the number of staff working each shift and to be posted in specified locations, including an area used for employee breaks. The bill would require a skilled nursing facility to make staffing data available, upon oral or written request and at a reasonable cost, within 15 days of receiving a request. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law generally requires that skilled nursing facilities have a minimum number of nursing hours per patient day of 3.2 hours. This bill would substitute the term "direct care service hours" for the term "nursing hours" and, commencing July 1, 2016, except as specified, increase the minimum number of direct care service hours per patient day to 4.1. (3) Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid Program provisions. Existing law, the Medi-Cal Long-Term Care Reimbursement Act, operative until August 1, 2015, requires the department to make a supplemental payment to skilled nursing facilities based on specified criteria and according to performance measure benchmarks. Existing law requires the department to establish and publish quality and accountability measures, which are used to determine supplemental payments. Existing law requires, beginning in the 2011–12 fiscal year, the measures to include, among others, compliance with specified nursing hours per patient per day requirements. This bill would also require, beginning in the 2016–17 fiscal year, the measures to include compliance with specified direct care service hour requirements for skilled nursing facilities. (4) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  2. May 28 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

  3. Set for hearing May 28.

  4. May 18 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  5. Set for hearing May 18.

  6. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  7. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 2. Page 862.) (April 29).

  8. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  9. Set for hearing April 29.

  10. April 22 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.

  11. Set for hearing April 22.

  12. Referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  13. Read first time.

  14. From printer. May be acted upon on or after April 1.

  15. Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Sponsors

  • Hall · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on · 1 voted No

Sponsors (1)

  • Hall

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (121)

121 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 121 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Placed on suspense file

Passed 7 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 7000
Total 7000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (7)
Member Party Vote
Bates — Yea
Nielsen — Yea
Hill — Yea
Lara — Yea
Leyva — Yea
Mendoza — Yea
Beall — Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

healthcare labor health-insurance
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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 779 do?
(1) Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation by the State Department of Public Health of health facilities, including skilled nursing facilities. Existing law requires the department to develop regulations that become effective August 1, 2003, that establish staff-to-patient ratios for direct caregivers working in a skilled nursing facility. Existing law requires that these ratios include separate licensed nurse staff-to-patient ratios in addition to the ratios established for other direct caregivers. Existing law also requires every skilled nursing facility to post information about staffing levels in the manner specified by federal requirements. Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for any person to willfully or repeatedly violate these provisions. This bill would require the department to develop regulations that become effective July 1, 2016, and include a minimum overall staff-to-patient ratio that includes specific staff-to-patient ratios for certified nurse assistants and for licensed nurses that comply with specified requirements. The bill would require the posted information to include a resident census and an accurate report of the number of staff working each shift and to be posted in specified locations, including an area used for employee breaks. The bill would require a skilled nursing facility to make staffing data available, upon oral or written request and at a reasonable cost, within 15 days of receiving a request. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law generally requires that skilled nursing facilities have a minimum number of nursing hours per patient day of 3.2 hours. This bill would substitute the term "direct care service hours" for the term "nursing hours" and, commencing July 1, 2016, except as specified, increase the minimum number of direct care service hours per patient day to 4.1. (3) Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid Program provisions. Existing law, the Medi-Cal Long-Term Care Reimbursement Act, operative until August 1, 2015, requires the department to make a supplemental payment to skilled nursing facilities based on specified criteria and according to performance measure benchmarks. Existing law requires the department to establish and publish quality and accountability measures, which are used to determine supplemental payments. Existing law requires, beginning in the 2011–12 fiscal year, the measures to include, among others, compliance with specified nursing hours per patient per day requirements. This bill would also require, beginning in the 2016–17 fiscal year, the measures to include compliance with specified direct care service hour requirements for skilled nursing facilities. (4) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Who sponsors SB 779?
SB 779 is sponsored by Hall.
What is the current status of SB 779?
This bill died with 2015-2016 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 779?
Track SB 779 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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