SR0621LRB097 20014 KTG 65997 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The Chicago Tribune investigative reports in the
3fall of 2009 identified severe problems in nursing homes that
4endangered residents; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The 96th General Assembly on May 7, 2010 passed
6Senate Bill 326 that included multiple provisions to improve
7safety in nursing homes; and
 
8    WHEREAS, A key provision in the legislation was a statutory
9increase in the staffing ratios for nursing homes; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Governor Quinn signed Senate Bill 326 into law as
11Public Act 96-1372 with an effective date of July 29, 2010; and
 
12    WHEREAS, The Office of the Attorney General has increased
13the enforcement of nursing home standards and the
14identification of criminals living in nursing homes; and
 
15    WHEREAS, The 96th General Assembly on January 11, 2010
16passed Senate Bill 3088 which created a new nursing home bed
17tax to increase funding to nursing homes in order to support
18the higher staffing ratios required by Public Act 96-1372 and
19in order to fund the State's increased enforcement activities;
20and
 

 

 

SR0621- 2 -LRB097 20014 KTG 65997 r

1    WHEREAS, Governor Quinn signed Senate Bill 3088 as Public
2Act 96-1530 with an effective date of February 16, 2011; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Public Act 96-1530 did not contain any provisions
4directly linking the increased funding from the nursing home
5bed tax to higher standards or increased staffing; and
 
6    WHEREAS, It is in the best interests of the citizens of
7Illinois to ensure that the safety provisions in Public Act
896-1372 are properly implemented and effective; and
 
9    WHEREAS, It is in the best interests of the citizens of
10Illinois to ensure that the funding from the nursing home bed
11tax is being used to improve nursing home safety; therefore, be
12it
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
14ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Auditor General is
15directed to conduct a performance audit of the Department of
16Public Health and the Department of Healthcare and Family
17Services to assess those Departments' efforts to implement the
18provisions under Public Act 96-1372 and Public Act 96-1530; and
19be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That the audit shall include, but not be limited

 

 

SR0621- 3 -LRB097 20014 KTG 65997 r

1to, the following determinations:
 
2        (1) An analysis of problem nursing homes identified
3    either in press reports by the Office of the Attorney
4    General or by the Department of Public Health that have had
5    safety issues, and the status of resident care before and
6    after the provisions of Public Act 96-1372 and Public Act
7    96-1530 became effective; and
8        (2) An analysis of the amount of the increased Medicaid
9    rates funded by the bed tax established under Public Act
10    96-1530 that are being used for meeting the new staffing
11    requirements under Public Act 96-1372; and
12        (3) An assessment of whether the increased Medicaid
13    funding has led to improvements in the problem nursing
14    homes; and
15        (4) An analysis of the Department of Healthcare and
16    Family Services' administration and implementation of the
17    new bed tax as it relates to items (1), (2), and (3) above;
18    and
19        (5) An analysis of the Department of Public Health's
20    implementation of the provisions under Public Act 96-1372;
21    and
22        (6) A review of the amounts from the new bed tax used
23    to fund State nursing home regulation enforcement
24    activities and community based services; and be it further
 

 

 

SR0621- 4 -LRB097 20014 KTG 65997 r

1    RESOLVED, That the Office of the Governor, the Office of
2the Attorney General, the Department of Public Health, the
3Department of Healthcare and Family Services, and any other
4entity having information relevant to this audit shall
5cooperate fully and promptly with the Auditor General in the
6conduct of this audit; and be it further
 
7    RESOLVED, That the Auditor General commence this audit as
8soon as possible and report his or her findings and
9recommendations upon completion in accordance with the
10provisions of Section 3-14 of the Illinois State Auditing Act;
11and be it further
 
12    RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be delivered to
13the Auditor General, the Governor, the Attorney General, the
14Department of Public Health, and the Department of Healthcare
15and Family Services.