00                            HOUSE BILL NO. 252                                                                          
01 "An Act relating to the right of patients to have a support person present during                                       
02 treatment and during stays at certain facilities."                                                                      
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section                            
05 to read:                                                                                                                
06       SHORT TITLE. This Act may be known as the No Patient Left Alone Act.                                              
07    * Sec. 2. AS 18.08 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                       
08            Sec. 18.08.093. Right of patients to support person. (a) A provider of                                       
09       emergency medical services who treats a patient shall allow a support person of the                               
10       patient's choice to be present during treatment. The support person may be any                                    
11       individual and is not required to be the patient's surrogate under AS 13.52.030.                                  
12 (b)  A provider of emergency medical services shall have written policies and                                           
13 procedures regarding a patient's right to have a support person present during                                          
14 treatment, including provisions describing any clinically necessary or reasonable                                       

01 restriction the provider may place on access to the patient and the reason for the                                      
02 restriction. A provider of emergency medical services shall inform each patient or                                      
03 support person, as appropriate, of the patient's right to have a support person present,                                
04 including any restriction on that right, and shall ensure that a support person enjoys                                  
05 full and equal visitation privileges consistent with patient preferences and the policies                               
06       and procedures.                                                                                                   
07            (c)  A patient's right to a support person under this section may not be withheld                            
08       based on a state or federal declaration of disaster.                                                              
09    * Sec. 3. AS 18.20 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                       
10     Article 6. Right of Patients to Support Person While in Hospital, Nursing Facility,                                 
11                   Assisted Living Home, or Hospice Care.                                                                
12 Sec. 18.20.600. Right of patients to support person. (a) A hospital, nursing                                            
13 facility, assisted living home, or hospice provider shall allow a support person of the                                 
14 patient's choice to be present during the patient's stay. The support person may be any                                 
15       individual and is not required to be the patient's surrogate under AS 13.52.030.                                  
16 (b)  A hospital, nursing facility, assisted living home, or hospice provider shall                                      
17 have written policies and procedures regarding a patient's right to have a support                                      
18 person present during the patient's stay, including provisions describing any clinically                                
19 necessary or reasonable restriction the hospital, nursing facility, assisted living home,                               
20 or hospice provider may place on access to the patient and the reason for the                                           
21 restriction. A hospital, nursing facility, assisted living home, or hospice provider shall                              
22 inform each patient or support person, as appropriate, of the patient's right to have a                                 
23 support person present, including any restriction on that right, and shall ensure that a                                
24 support person enjoys full and equal visitation privileges consistent with patient                                      
25       preferences and the policies and procedures.                                                                      
26 (c)  A patient's right to a support person under this section may not be withheld                                       
27       based on a state or federal declaration of disaster.                                                              
28            (d)  In this section,                                                                                        
29                 (1)  "assisted living home" has the meaning given in AS 47.32.900;                                      
30                 (2)  "hospice" has the meaning given in AS 47.32.900;                                                   
31                 (3)  "hospital" has the meaning given in AS 18.20.130;                                                  

01                 (4)  "nursing facility" has the meaning given in AS 18.20.390.