Bill > AB960

This bill requires general acute care hospitals to allow patients with physical, intellectual, developmental, or cognitive disabilities (such as dementia) to have a family or friend caregiver with them as needed, even outside standard visiting hours. Hospitals can restrict visitation only if a particular visitor might endanger health and safety, significantly disrupt hospital operations, impede medical care, or if the visitor is violent. The bill aims to ensure patients with disabilities can fully benefit from hospital services while maintaining a safe environment. Hospitals retain the right to establish reasonable visitation restrictions, such as limiting the number of visitors or requiring masks, and can impose health and safety requirements like excluding sick visitors. The bill explicitly does not override visitation restrictions during state, health, or local emergencies that are designed to prevent disease spread. Importantly, the bill does not create new legal liability for hospitals that comply with its requirements, and it does not mandate state reimbursement for potential implementation costs. The legislation is intended to provide more flexible visitation rights for patients with disabilities while recognizing hospitals' need to maintain a safe environment for patients, staff, and visitors.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB960