Bill > A02051

This bill modifies regulations for non-public residential health care facilities (like nursing homes) regarding equity withdrawals and establishes a new nursing home worker recruitment and safety fund. Specifically, the bill allows certain nursing homes that have met minimum staffing requirements to withdraw up to 5% of their annual patient care revenue (previously limited to 3%), with only written notification to the commissioner, instead of requiring prior approval. The bill also creates a new special fund where all fines and civil penalties collected from nursing home staffing violations will be deposited. These funds will be used to provide grants aimed at improving employment quality, recruitment, and safety for residential health care facility staff. The commissioner of health will have discretion in distributing these grants, considering factors like facility census and rate region. The fund will be jointly managed by the commissioner of taxation and finance and the state comptroller, and can also accept additional grants or donations. The changes are designed to give nursing homes more financial flexibility while simultaneously creating a dedicated funding mechanism to support worker conditions in the healthcare facility sector.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A2051