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Assembly Panel OK’s Riley & DeAngelo Bill to Require Inspection Reports for Residential Health Care Facilities, Boarding Homes & Emergency Shelters be Posted Online

(TRENTON) – An Assembly committee on Monday advanced legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Celeste Riley and Wayne DeAngelo requiring the Department of Community Affairs to post inspection reports for residential health care facilities, boarding homes, and emergency shelters for the homeless on its website.

“Public information should be made readily available, especially when dealing with facilities that provide health care and housing,” said Riley (D-Cumberland/Gloucester/Salem). “This is a simple and practical way to keep residents and their families informed about the conditions in the facility. It also serves as an incentive for facilities to make sure they are complying with mandated standards.”

“Making the inspection process more transparent by publicizing the reports online is a step in the right direction,” said DeAngelo (D-Mercer/Middlesex). “There is no reason why these inspection reports should not be easily accessible to the general public unless there is something amiss. This helps ensure trust that the facility is operating as it should, especially for people served by these facilities.”

The bill (A-3175) would require the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to post on its website all inspection reports prepared on its behalf for residential health care facilities, boarding homes, and emergency shelters for the homeless. The Bureau of Rooming and Boarding House Standards in the Division of Codes and Standards in DCA performs or oversees the inspection of these facilities. The bill would promote greater transparency with respect to these facilities by providing residents and their families with greater access to information about the conditions of these facilities.

The responsibility to inspect residential health care facilities was transferred from the Department of Health to DCA pursuant to a reorganization plan. If such responsibilities are returned to the Department of Health or transferred to another department, the bill provides that the inspection reports prepared by or on behalf of such department be posted on the website of that department.

Some rooming and boarding houses and all emergency shelters for the homeless are inspected by local officials. Municipalities with such local inspections would be required to file with the commissioner of DCA copies of inspection reports prepared following these inspections to enable DCA to post the reports on its website. The bill would authorize the commissioner of DCA to prescribe a standard inspection format be used by municipalities conducting these inspections.

If an inspection reveals as serious health and safety violation at any of these facilities, the department would be required to post the inspection report, as well as the name of the facility and the owner of the facility on its website no later than 72 hours following the inspection. If any of these facilities has its license suspended, the department would have to post the suspension on its website no later than 72 hours following the suspension. Under the bill, the department would be required to notify the Commissioner of Human Services, or the commissioner’s designee, and the director of the county board of social services or county welfare agency, as appropriate, in the county where the facility is located, of a serious health and safety violation or license suspension at the facility.

The bill was released by the Assembly Human Services Committee.