Bill > SB1465

This bill amends the Nursing Home Care Act to expand the definition of direct care staff used to calculate staff-to-resident ratios. The bill adds several new categories of staff that can be counted toward staffing requirements, including infection preventionists, minimum data set assessment nurses, additional social workers, certified nursing assistant interns, and medication aides. Importantly, 100% of the hours worked by these newly added staff members can now be counted toward the staffing ratio. The bill introduces a 20% variance tolerance for staffing compliance, meaning monetary penalties will only be imposed if a facility's staffing falls more than 20% below the required levels. The legislation removes previous restrictions on waiving monetary penalties and modifies reporting requirements for facilities that fail to meet staffing standards. Facilities will be required to post a notice if they do not meet minimum staffing ratios, and the notice must be displayed in multiple locations, including exterior entryways, the main lobby, and the facility's website. The bill aims to provide more flexibility in staffing calculations while maintaining accountability for nursing homes' staffing levels, with full implementation of monetary penalties set to begin in January 2025.

Budget and Finance

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1465&GAID=18&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=114&GA=104