Revision: Feb. 6, 2020, 3:34 p.m.
SB 506 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
02/06/2020 0315s
02/06/2020 0529s
2020 SESSION
20-2889
01/04
SENATE BILL 506
AN ACT establishing a commission to study workplace safety in health care settings.
SPONSORS: Sen. Gray, Dist 6; Sen. Ward, Dist 8; Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Sen. Giuda, Dist 2; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Bradley, Dist 3; Sen. Sherman, Dist 24; Sen. Kahn, Dist 10
COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services
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ANALYSIS
This bill establishes a commission to study workplace safety in health care settings.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
02/06/2020 0315s
02/06/2020 0529s 20-2889
01/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty
AN ACT establishing a commission to study workplace safety in health care settings.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Subdivision; Commission to Study Workplace Safety in Health Care Settings. Amend RSA 126-A by inserting after section 80 the following new subdivision:
Commission to Study Workplace Safety in Health Care Settings
126-A:81 Commission to Study Workplace Safety in Health Care Settings.
I. There is established a commission to study workplace safety in health care settings.
(a) The members of the commission shall be as follows:
(1) One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.
(2) Two members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
(3) One member appointed by the chief justice of the New Hampshire supreme court.
(4) The commissioner of the department of health and human services, or designee.
(5) The commissioner of the department of safety, or designee.
(6) The commissioner of the department of labor, or designee.
(7) The attorney general, or designee.
(8) The president of the State Employees Association, SEIU Local 1984, or designee.
(9) A member of the New Hampshire Hospital Association, appointed by the association.
(10) A member of the New Hampshire Nurses Association, appointed by the association.
(11) A member of Granite State Home Health and Hospice Association, appointed by the association.
(12) A member of the New Hampshire Health Care Association, appointed by the association.
(13) A member of the New Hampshire Medical Society, appointed by the society.
(14) The director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire, or designee.
(15) A member of NAMI-New Hampshire, appointed by that organization.
(16) A member of the New Hampshire Association of Residential Care Homes (NHARCH), appointed by the association.
(17) A member of the American College of Emergency Physicians, appointed by that organization.
(18) The long-term care ombudsman, or designee.
(19) A member from a nonprofit social services organization representing the patient perspective, appointed by the president of the senate.
(b) Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.
II.(a) The commission shall:
(1) Review past history of incidents of violence in the health care workplace that have been instigated by the public, including patients, against health care workers.
(2) Explore barriers to reporting incidences.
(3) Explore creating a culture that supports reporting by reviewing of best practices.
(4) Determine a structure for reporting incidences and effective mechanisms for responding to incidences.
(5) Identify education and other strategies to identify risks, increase and reduce vulnerabilities in order to prevent workplace violence.
(6) Review other states' workplace safety policies.
(7) Review current statutes regarding penalties for assaulting a health care worker and consider changes to the statutes.
(8) Consider other matters the commission deems relevant to its study.
(b) The commission may solicit input from any person or entity the commission deems relevant to its study.
III. The members of the commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the senate member. The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Ten members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.
IV. The commission shall make a report with its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation on or before November 1, 2021 to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the senate clerk, the house clerk, the governor, and the state library.
2 Repeal. RSA 126-A:81, relative to commission to study workplace safety in health care settings, is repealed.
I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect November 1, 2021.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.