BILL NUMBER: AB 1974	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 10, 2014
	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 
inpatient  physical therapy services, occupational therapy
services, or speech pathology and audiology services to residents of
the facility.  The bill would state that these provisions do not
limit the department's ability to enforce or evaluate compliance with
specified therapy requirements during investigations or inspections.

   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.   (a)    "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
Medicare or Medi-Cal certified and  that is organized, staffed,
and equipped to provide  inpatient  physical therapy
services, occupational therapy services, or speech pathology and
audiology services to residents of the facility. 
   (b) This section does not limit the department's ability to
evaluate compliance with the therapy requirements for nursing
facilities and skilled nursing facilities established in Title 22 of
the California Code of Regulations during investigations or
inspections, including, but not limited to, inspections conducted
pursuant to Section 1422, or to limit the department's ability to
enforce the therapy requirements.