Bolinsky Hails Major Nursing Home Reform Bill

HARTFORD- A “Governor’s Bill” with high aspirations to reform the nursing home industry received strong support from State Rep. Mitch Bolinsky (R-106). On Monday May 6th, it passed overwhelmingly in the House of Representatives, followed by passage in the State Senate on Wednesday May 8th.

The legislation, HB-5046, An Act Promoting Nursing Home Resident Quality of Life will add consumer protections at assisted living centers, improve the oversight of nursing home management companies and phase out three and four-bed nursing home rooms beginning on July 1, 2026, by halting new admissions in rooms occupy two people already. Those currently living in a room with three or four beds will not be forced to move.

“I am tremendously proud to have worked many long hours with my colleagues on the legislature’s Aging Committee with co-chairs Rep. Garibay, Sen. Hochadel, and fellow Ranking Member, Sen. Seminara, as well as our non-partisan support team and committee partners.

Our committee’s chemistry was recognized for its ‘can-do’ attitude and has delivered priority legislation for what’s now our state’s fastest growing population segment, our seniors. It’s been an honor to roll up our sleeves together, and craft a bipartisan, comprehensive set of reforms for nursing home patients and their families. Our shared experiences motivated and focused us to improve the nursing home experience for people living in long term care settings. Making it easier to select the “right” home, to increase standards, oversight and transparency are the right of every resident and family. Consistent, reliable, high-quality care, and choices will ultimately strengthen the over-all long-term care system in our state,” said Rep. Bolinsky.

The bill received significant support from the Connecticut Aging and Disability Services, State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, Ms. Mairead Painter, who said, “These are important reforms. The limit on resident room occupancy, centers of excellence programs, the nursing home report card, the enhanced admission and care standards, the enhanced accountability and compliance and delivery of high-quality health care services are all positive and important features of this bill.”

The Governor’s Bill passed overwhelmingly in both the House of Representatives and the State Senate and now goes to the governor for his signature, as part of a two-prong approach to filling gaps in our state’s elder care support systems.

Trying to connect the dots, Bolinsky observed: “When packaged with the work our team also did on Speaker of the House Ritter’s “Speaker’s Bill,”, we will have set policy that’ll bring Aging-in-Place into the 21st century in a multi-faceted, big picture way.

With HB-5046, the “Governor’s Bill,” we modernize and raise the standards for nursing home care.  With the “Speaker’s Bill”, HB-5001, we build support and options for our elders to safely, comfortably Age-in-Place, as 75% have told us they’d prefer to do.

I appreciate the confidence that Governor Lamont and Speaker Ritter placed in us and look forward to gathering for an Aging Committee dual-bill signing very soon!”

Details of the Governor’s Bill can be found at: https://cga.ct.gov/2024/BA/PDF/2024HB-05046-R02-BA.PDF.