Washington HB 2117: Ensuring a terminally ill patient's right to visitors.

Bill Text

AN ACT Relating to ensuring a terminally ill patient's right to 1
visitors; adding a new section to chapter 18.51 RCW; adding a new 2
section to chapter 70.41 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 70.127 3
RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 70.129 RCW.4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 18.51 6
RCW to read as follows:7
(1) A terminally ill patient has a right to visitors as provided 8
in this section and a nursing home may not interfere with this right.9
(a) Visitors must be allowed during normal visiting hours 10
established by the nursing home. During normal visiting hours:11
(i) A patient may have up to four visitors at a time if the 12
patient is in a private room; and13
(ii) A patient may have up to two visitors at a time if the 14
patient is in a semi-private room.15
(b) Outside of visiting hours, a terminally ill patient must be 16
permitted one visitor who must be allowed to remain with the patient.17
(2) A nursing home may require visitors to wear personal 18
protective equipment that is provided by the nursing home.19
(3) For purposes of this section:20
H-2623.1
HOUSE BILL 2117
State of Washington 67th Legislature 2022 Regular Session
By Representatives Chase, Sutherland, Chambers, Jacobsen, Eslick, and
Young
Read first time 02/09/22. Referred to Committee on Health Care &
Wellness.
p. 1 HB 2117

(a) "Terminally ill patient" means a patient with a progressive 1
disease or condition that is expected to end in death.2
(b) "Visitor" includes a family member of the patient such as a 3
spouse, child, grandchild, sibling, or grandparent.4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 70.41 5
RCW to read as follows:6
(1) A terminally ill patient has a right to visitors as provided 7
in this section and a hospital may not interfere with this right.8
(a) Visitors must be allowed during normal visiting hours 9
established by the hospital. During normal visiting hours:10
(i) A patient may have up to four visitors at a time if the 11
patient is in a private room; and12
(ii) A patient may have up to two visitors at a time if the 13
patient is in a semi-private room.14
(b) Outside of visiting hours, a terminally ill patient must be 15
permitted one visitor who must be allowed to remain with the patient.16
(2) A hospital may require visitors to wear personal protective 17
equipment that is provided by the hospital.18
(3) For purposes of this section:19
(a) "Terminally ill patient" means a patient with a progressive 20
disease or condition that is expected to end in death.21
(b) "Visitor" includes a family member of the patient such as a 22
spouse, child, grandchild, sibling, or grandparent.23
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 70.127 24
RCW to read as follows:25
(1) A terminally ill patient has a right to visitors as provided 26
in this section and a hospice care center may not interfere with this 27
right.28
(a) Visitors must be allowed during normal visiting hours 29
established by the hospice care center. During normal visiting hours:30
(i) A patient may have up to four visitors at a time if the 31
patient is in a private room; and32
(ii) A patient may have up to two visitors at a time if the 33
patient is in a semi-private room.34
(b) Outside of visiting hours, a terminally ill patient must be 35
permitted one visitor who must be allowed to remain with the patient.36
(2) A hospice care center may require visitors to wear personal 37
protective equipment that is provided by the hospice care center.38
p. 2 HB 2117

(3) For purposes of this section:1
(a) "Terminally ill patient" means a patient with a progressive 2
disease or condition that is expected to end in death.3
(b) "Visitor" includes a family member of the patient such as a 4
spouse, child, grandchild, sibling, or grandparent.5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 70.129 6
RCW to read as follows:7
(1) A terminally ill patient has a right to visitors as provided 8
in this section and a long-term care facility may not interfere with 9
this right.10
(a) Visitors must be allowed during normal visiting hours 11
established by the long-term care facility. During normal visiting 12
hours:13
(i) A patient may have up to four visitors at a time if the 14
patient is in a private room; and15
(ii) A patient may have up to two visitors at a time if the 16
patient is in a semi-private room.17
(b) Outside of visiting hours, a terminally ill patient must be 18
permitted one visitor who must be allowed to remain with the patient.19
(2) A long-term care facility may require visitors to wear 20
personal protective equipment that is provided by the long-term care 21
facility.22
(3) For purposes of this section:23
(a) "Terminally ill patient" means a patient with a progressive 24
disease or condition that is expected to end in death.25
(b) "Visitor" includes a family member of the patient such as a 26
spouse, child, grandchild, sibling, or