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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFifty-fifth Legislature Second Regular Session |
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HB 2449: care facilities; clergy visitation
Sponsor: Representative Nguyen, LD 1
Committee on Judiciary
Overview
An emergency measure that outlines clergy visitation requirements to care facilities.
History
Current statute requires a hospital to provide notice of its visitation policy to patients. If a hospital's visitation policy allows in-person visitation of any kind, and if authorized by the patient, the hospital is required to allow clergy to visit the patient in-person for religious purposes. Clergy must comply with reasonable health and safety precautions imposed by hospitals with in-person visitation. If a hospital's visitation policy does not allow in-person visitation of any kind at all times or temporarily for health and safety reasons, the hospital is required to facilitate a virtual clergy visit. (A.R.S. § 36-407.01).
Provisions
1.
Requires a care facility to allow clergy
to visit a patient if the facility allows in-person visitation of any kind,
including during a declared state of emergency. (Sec. 1)
2. Mandates a care facility must allow clergy to visit a patient, upon request, if the patient's death is imminent. (Sec.1)
3. Allows a care facility to require clergy to comply with reasonable health and safety precautions. (Sec. 1)
4. States a care facility is not liable to a person visiting a patient, or to the patient, for civil damages resulting from death or injury from a communicable disease resulting from the visitation provided the care facility complied with health and safety precautions. (Sec. 1)
5. Allows a person or religious organization to bring a civil action against the care facility if clergy visitation is denied. (Sec. 1)
6. Defines care facility and patient. (Sec. 1)
7. Contains an emergency clause. (Sec. 2)
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11. HB 2449
12. Initials LC Page 0 Judiciary
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