North Carolina HB 979: Update Volunteer System/Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 979

Short Title: Update Volunteer System/LTC Ombudsman Program. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Ball, Colvin, Greenfield, and G. Brown (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 14, 2025
*H979-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT UPDATING AND STRENGTHENING THE SYSTEM OF VOLUNTEERS 2
SUPPORTING THE OFFICE OF STATE LONG-TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN 3
PROGRAM. 4
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
6
PART I. VOLUNTEER NURSING HOME OMBUDSMAN REPRESENTATIVES 7
SECTION 1. G.S. 131E-101 reads as rewritten: 8
"§ 131E-101. Definitions. 9
As used in this Part, unless otherwise specified: 10
... 11
(3) "Community advisory committee" means a nursing home advisory committee 12
established for the statutory purpose of working to carry out the intent of the 13
Nursing Home Patients' Bill of Rights (Chapter 131E, Article 6, Part 2) in 14
accordance with G.S. 143B-181.1. 15
... 16
(9) "Volunteer nursing home ombudsman representative" means a volunteer 17
designated by the Office of the State Long-Term Ombudsman in accordance 18
with G.S. 131E-128 to work toward maintaining the intent of the Nursing 19
Home Patients' Bill of Rights (Chapter 131E, Article 6, Part 2) within the 20
nursing homes in this State, including nursing homes operated by hospitals 21
licensed under Article 5 of this Chapter." 22
SECTION 2. G.S. 131E-102(e) reads as rewritten: 23
"(e) In order for a nursing home to maintain its license it shall not intentionally impede 24
the proper performance of the duties of a lawfully appointed community advisory committee as 25
set forth in G.S. 131E-128(h).designated volunteer ombudsman representative, as set forth in 26
G.S. 131E-128." 27
SECTION 3. G.S. 131E-117(12) reads as rewritten: 28
"(12) To present grievances and recommend changes in policies and services, 29
personally or through other persons or in combination with others, on the 30
patient's personal behalf or that of others to the facility's staff, the community 31
advisory committee, a volunteer ombudsman representative designated under 32
G.S. 131E-128, the administrator, the Department, or other persons or groups 33
without fear of reprisal, restraint, interference, coercion, or discrimination;" 34
SECTION 4. G.S. 131E-128 reads as rewritten: 35

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 979-First Edition
"§ 131E-128. Nursing home advisory committees.Volunteer nursing home ombudsman 1
representatives. 2
(a) Statement of Purpose. – It is the purpose of the General Assembly that community 3
advisory committee members function as designated volunteer ombudsman representatives of 4
the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman and through their designation work to 5
maintain the intent of the Nursing Home Resident's Bill of Rights within the nursing homes in 6
this State, including nursing homes operated by hospitals licensed under Article 5 of G.S. Chapter 7
131E. this Chapter. It is the further purpose of the General Assembly that the committees 8
volunteer ombudsman representatives promote community involvement and cooperation with 9
nursing homes and an integration of these homes into a system of care for the elderly. 10
(b) (1) A community advisory committee shall be established in each county which 11
Nominations and Designation. – Each board of county commissioners that has a at least one 12
nursing home, home operating in the county, including a nursing home operated by a hospital 13
licensed under Article 5 of G.S. Chapter 131E, shall serve this Chapter, is encouraged to 14
nominate volunteer ombudsman representatives who are willing and able to serve all the nursing 15
homes in the county, county and shall work with each nursing home in for the best interest of the 16
persons residing in each home. In a county which has one, two, or three nursing homes, the 17
committee shall have five members. In a county with four or more nursing homes, the committee 18
shall have one additional member for each nursing home in excess of three, and may have up to 19
five additional members per committee at the discretion of the county commissioners.residents. 20
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article, designation as a volunteer ombudsman 21
representative is contingent upon designation of the nominee by the Office of the State 22
Long-Term Care Ombudsman in accordance with G.S. 143B-181.18. A designated volunteer 23
ombudsman representative is directly accountable to the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman 24
Program in order to perform the duties as a representative of the Office of the State Long-Term 25
Care Ombudsman. 26
(2) In each county with four or more nursing homes, the committee shall establish 27
a subcommittee of no more than five members and no fewer than three 28
members from the committee for each nursing home in t