SF 335 – Information Release From Medical Examiners to Organ Donor Organization
HF 579 – Regulation of Health Care Facilities
FLOOR ACTION
SF 335, as amended on the floor, requires that medical examiner records and reports and autopsy reports be released to the federally designated organ donor organization upon request by the donor organization. As provided in current law, the organ donor organization must receive consent from either the donor prior to death or next of kin before requesting the records. Such records are required for the organ or tissue donation to be approved. The amendment ensures that no information is disclosed that could jeopardize a law enforcement investigation or pose a clear and present danger to individual or public safety. [3/10: 47-0 (Bertrand, Chelgren, Zumbach excused)]
HF 579 comes from the Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA). The bill allows the DIA to consider the regulatory history for new nursing facility license applicants, which is already allowed for existing license applicants. The bill allows nursing facilities, assisted living programs, adult day service providers and elder group homes to skip the contested case informal hearing (independent reviewer) and go straight to the formal contested case hearing (administrative law judge) if they choose. Finally, the bill no longer allows guardians ad litem to also serve as legal counsel to clients, which removes any chance of a conflict of interest. [4/15: 45-0 (Anderson, Behn, Bertrand, Feenstra, Zumbach absent)]