ATLANTA — State Representative Trey Kelley (R-Cedartown) today commented on the signing of House Bill 342 into law by Governor Nathan Deal. The new law, which amends certain regulations on nursing homes throughout the state, was signed into law during a bill signing ceremony held yesterday at the Georgia State Capitol.
“I am honored to have Governor Deal sign HB342,” said Rep. Kelley. “This pro-business bill empowers juries to make more decisions at trial, while also preserving a senior citizen’s ability to seek civil justice. While I am certainly proud of the policy goal this bill accomplishes, I am more proud of the fact that I was able to work with representatives from the nursing home industry and the plaintiff’s bar, two groups usually on opposite sides of the issues, to get this bill drafted and passed. By not focusing on our differences, but on the common principles we all share, we were able to develop legislation that will benefit citizens all across the 16th House District, as well as our state.”
HB 342 states that if a nursing home violates any regulation under the federal ‘Nursing Home Reform Act’ or any Georgia regulation, the violation in question will not automatically be considered negligence; however, these violations must be documented and may be used at a later date against the nursing home in a court of law if they are deemed relevant. Additionally, the bill states that results of a federal or state inspection of a nursing home facility may not be used in an advertisement or solicitation, unless it includes one or more of the proper documentations as outlined in the law.
For more information on HB 342, please click here.
Representative Trey Kelley represents the citizens of District 16, which includes portions of Bartow, Haralson, and Polk counties. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2012, and currently serves as the Secretary on the Higher Education Committee. He also serves on the Banks & Banking, Code Revision, Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications, Health and Human Services, Ways and Means, and Judiciary committees.
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