BILL NUMBER: AB 1974	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 1, 2014
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 1, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Quirk

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2014

   An act to amend Section 1252 of the Health and Safety Code,
relating to health facilities.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1974, as amended, Quirk. Health facilities: special services.
   Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of health
facilities by the State Department of Public Health and prohibits a
health facility from providing a special service without the approval
of the department. Existing law defines a "special service" to mean
a functional division, department, or unit of a health facility that
is organized, staffed, and equipped to provide a specific type of
patient care and that has been identified by regulations of the
department and for which the department has established special
standards for quality of care.
   The bill would specify that a "special service" does not include a
functional division, department, or unit of a nursing facility 
that is certified to participate as a provider in the Medicare 
 or Medi-Cal program and  that is organized, staffed, and
equipped to provide physical therapy services, occupational therapy
services, or speech pathology and audiology services to residents of
the facility.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 1252 of the Health and Safety Code is amended
to read:
   1252.  "Special service" means a functional division, department,
or unit of a health facility that is organized, staffed, and equipped
to provide a specific type or types of patient care and that has
been identified by regulations of the state department and for which
the state department has established special standards for quality of
care. "Special service" does not include a functional division,
department, or unit of a nursing facility  , as defined in
subdivision (k) of Section 1250,  that is organized, staffed,
and equipped to provide physical therapy services, occupational
therapy services, or speech pathology and audiology services to
residents of the facility.