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HB 6985

AN ACT CONCERNING NURSING HOME AND RESIDENTIAL CARE HOME ABANDONMENT.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Michael DiGiovancarlo

Prohibits abandonment of nursing home and residential care residents; requires safeguards, mandatory reporting, and penalties to protect residents during transfers and discharges.

REF. BY HOUSE TO COMMITTEE ON Judiciary
#abandonment #fines(penalties) #nursinghomepatients #nursinghomeviolations #nursinghomes #residentialcarehomes
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Bill Summary · HB 6985

Summary — HB 6985: "An Act Concerning Nursing Home and Residential Care Home Abandonment"

Overview / Purpose

HB 6985 is a bill introduced February 19, 2025, titled “An Act Concerning Nursing Home and Residential Care Home Abandonment.” Based on the title and legislative classification, the bill intends to address the abandonment of residents in nursing homes and residential care homes by defining prohibited conduct and establishing remedies, penalties, and/or reporting and enforcement mechanisms to protect vulnerable residents.

Note: The bill text was not provided with the materials you supplied. The summary below presents (A) what is explicitly known from the legislative record and (B) the likely or typical subjects and provisions such a bill would include, based on the title and the bill’s subject tags (abandonment, fines/penalties, nursing home violations).

Known legislative actions and status

  • Introduced: February 19, 2025
  • Referred initially to: Joint Committee on Aging (2/19/25)
  • Public hearing held: February 28, 2025
  • Joint Favorable report issued: March 6, 2025
  • Filed with LCO and referred to OLR and OFA: March 10–19, 2025
  • Favorable report and placed on House calendar (House Calendar No. 131; File No. 159): March 20, 2025
  • Referred by House to Committee on Judiciary: April 22, 2025
  • Current status: Referred by House to Judiciary Committee

Key provisions likely addressed (based on title and subject)

Because the bill text is not included, the following are the types of provisions commonly found in legislation on nursing home/residential care abandonment that HB 6985 is likely to address:

  • Definition(s)
    • A statutory definition of “abandonment” as it applies to nursing home and residential care home residents (e.g., willful desertion of a resident without arranging for necessary care or transfer).
  • Prohibitions and duties
    • Prohibiting owners, administrators, staff, or responsible parties from abandoning residents.
    • Requiring facilities to follow prescribed procedures before discharging or transferring a resident (notice, documentation, efforts to locate an appropriate receiving facility/family).
  • Reporting and notice requirements
    • Mandatory reporting of suspected abandonment to the state agency overseeing long‑term care (e.g., Department of Public Health, Adult Protective Services) and possibly to the long‑term care ombudsman.
  • Enforcement and penalties
    • Civil fines, administrative sanctions against facility licenses, and/or referral for criminal prosecution for intentional abandonment. (Exact fine amounts or penalty ranges were not provided.)
  • Resident protections
    • Requirements for safe transfer, continuation of care, and safeguards for residents with diminished capacity.
  • Recordkeeping and training
    • Documentation and retention requirements related to discharge/transfer decisions and staff training to prevent abandonment.

Who would be affected

  • Directly affected: residents of nursing homes and residential care homes (particularly those with limited capacity or without family advocates).
  • Facility-level: owners, administrators, clinical and direct care staff of nursing homes and residential care homes.
  • State agencies: departments that license, inspect, and enforce long‑term care rules (e.g., Department of Public Health, Adult Protective Services, Office of the Long‑Term Care Ombudsman).
  • Families and guardians: responsibilities and protections may be clarified or changed.
  • Legal/administrative system: courts and administrative tribunals handling enforcement, appeals, or criminal referrals.

Potential impacts

  • Increased protections and clearer remedies for residents at risk of abandonment.
  • Greater compliance and administrative burden on facilities (policies, documentation, training).
  • Potential for civil penalties or license actions against violating facilities or staff.
  • Increased reporting and investigation workload for oversight agencies.

Next steps / how to get the bill text and follow progress

  • To review precise language, consult the Legislative Commissioners’ Office (LCO) file or the bill text on the Connecticut General Assembly website (search HB 6985, 2025 session).
  • Track subsequent Judiciary Committee action and any floor votes to see amendments or final provisions.

If you would like, I can retrieve the bill text (LCO file) and produce a detailed, clause-by-clause summary once the full language is available.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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