Legislation to increase cooperation between MD Health Dept and local nursing homes passes state House

Annapolis, Md. – Lots of legislation made the cut by Maryland’s Crossover Day deadline, and one bill, sponsored by Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes is one of them. Sample-Hughes’ bill, known as HB 945 is one step closer to becoming law.

Sample-Hughes is the only Democrat on Maryland’s Eastern Shore delegation and has championed a bill that would enable more oversight and communication between nursing homes and assisted living facilities with the state health department. She said the boost in communication and cooperation would help connect the local community with local resources.

“I don’t want to  receive calls from citizens to say, ‘hey, this is an issue are there local resources that maybe help the local nursing home?’ and I don’t want a health officer to tell me again, ‘oh, that’s a state issue,'” Sample-Hughes said. “No, it’s a local issue because we have resources in our community.”

The bill, introduced to the House in February, passed the House on Saturday, was referred to the Senate Finance Committee on Crossover Day and will have a hearing in the senate on Tuesday at 1 p.m.