H-3792.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2824

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2002 Regular Session

By Representatives Skinner and Edwards

Read first time 01/29/2002.  Referred to Committee on Health Care.

Revising conflict of interest provisions for the long-term care ombudsman program.

    AN ACT Relating to conflict of interest provisions for the long-term care ombudsman program; and amending RCW 43.190.040.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 43.190.040 and 1983 c 290 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) Any long-term care ombudsman authorized by this chapter or a local governmental authority shall have training or experience or both in the following areas:

    (a) Gerontology, long-term care, or other related social services programs.

    (b) The legal system.

    (c) Dispute or problem resolution techniques, including investigation, mediation, and negotiation.

    (2) A long-term care ombudsman shall not have been employed by or participated in the management of any long-term care facility within the past ((three years)) year.

    (3) A long-term care ombudsman shall not have been employed in a governmental position with direct involvement in the licensing, certification, or regulation of long-term care facilities within the past year.

(4) No long-term care ombudsman or any member of his or her immediate family shall have, or have had within the past ((three years)) year, any ((pecuniary)) significant ownership or investment interest in ((the provision of long-term health care facilities)) one or more long-term care facilities.

(5) A long-term care ombudsman shall not be assigned to a long-term care facility in which a member of that ombudsman's immediate family resides.

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