HB151 Alabama 2023 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Debbie Wood

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2023

Title

Relating to health care facilities; to add Section 22-21-437 to the Code of Alabama 1975; to require health care facilities to adopt certain visitation policies; to provide that patients have a right to certain visitation; to allow patients to designate an essential caregiver and to guarantee that caregiver certain visitation rights; to prohibit a health care facility from adopting a visitation policy that is more stringent than certain employee policies; to prohibit a health care facility from requiring visitors to show proof of vaccination or from prohibiting consensual physical contact between visitors and patients; to provide for the circumstances in which patients may not be denied visitors who are not essential caregivers; to require health care facilities to provide visitation policies to the Department of Public Health; to require the Department of Public Health to develop a mechanism for complaints; to provide certain immunity from liability in certain circumstances; and to repeal Sections 22-21-430 through 22-21-436, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to hospital visitation during a public health emergency.

Summary

HB151 would overhaul Alabama’s hospital visitation laws by guaranteeing patient visitation rights, creating an essential caregiver role with guaranteed daily visiting time, and requiring facilities to adopt standardized policies overseen by the Department of Public Health.

What This Bill Does

The bill repeals current hospital visitation rules and requires facilities to establish visitation policies within 30 days, including infection control, visitor screening, and approved visit lengths. It grants patients the right to visit any individual during visiting hours and allows them to designate an essential caregiver who can visit at least two hours daily. It prohibits requiring visitors to prove vaccination and allows consensual physical contact, while permitting suspension of a specific visitor for policy violations; it also mandates visitation in certain scenarios such as end-of-life, childbirth, pediatric care, major medical decisions, emotional distress, or needs related to eating or drinking. The bill requires facilities to share policies with the Department of Public Health, which must maintain a complaints mechanism, and provides liability immunity for actions taken in compliance, while repealing the previous emergency visitation provisions.

Who It Affects

• Patients, residents, or clients of health care facilities who gain the right to visit any chosen individual during visiting hours and may designate an essential caregiver with at least two hours of daily in-person visitation.
• Health care facilities, their staff, visitors, essential caregivers, and the Alabama Department of Public Health, which must implement, enforce, and oversee the new visitation policies, share them with the department, and provide a complaints mechanism.

Key Provisions

• Repeals Sections 22-21-430 through 22-21-436, which related to hospital visitation during a public health emergency.
• Adds Section 22-21-437 (Harold Sachs and Ann Roberts Act) defining health care facilities and establishing patient visitation rights and essential caregiver provisions.
• Patients may be visited by anyone during visiting hours, subject to facility policies; patients may designate an essential caregiver who is allowed at least two hours of daily in-person visitation.
• Safety policies may not be more stringent than staff policies and may not require vaccination proof or prohibit consensual physical contact; certain visits may be required in end-of-life, adjustment, major decisions, emotional distress, or needs related to eating/drinking.
• Facilities must provide visitation policies to the Alabama Department of Public Health for licensure or ownership changes; the Department must maintain a dedicated webpage and a complaints mechanism.
• Liability immunity for facilities and staff acting in compliance with these provisions, with exception for substantial evidence of noncompliance or willful misconduct.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.