SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5589

As of February 5, 2003

Title: An act relating to design and construction standards for a nursing home license sought for a building licensed as a boarding home in a county with fewer than forty thousand people.

Brief Description: Revising design and construction standards for a boarding home converting to a nursing home in a small county.

Sponsors: Senator Morton.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Health & Long-Term Care: 2/6/03.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG-TERM CARE

Staff: Rhoda Donkin (786-7198)

Background: Long-term care facilities in this state are licensed under their own statutes, and regulated by state and federal rules, which dictate specific requirements for the kind of service and housing they can provide. Building standards for new nursing homes are set in RCW 18.51. As demographics and economic conditions change, licensees may seek to change parts of their nursing homes to meet the market demands of the area.

Under current law, a licensee must meet today's nursing home construction and design standards in order to open other parts of the same building, regardless of whether that building met the building standards for nursing home at the time the original license was issued.

Summary of Bill: The licensee of a nursing home is not held to current design and construction standards when seeking to extend the nursing home license to an attached part of the building, if that building met construction and design standards at the time original license was issued, and if no new beds are added.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.