Virginia HB 1478

In-person visitation policies and procedures at certain facilities. Requires training centers operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (the Department), hospitals, nursing homes, certified nursing facilities, hospices or hospice facilities, assisted living facilities, and intermediate care facilities to establish certain in-person visitation policies and procedures. The bill (i) requires that such policies and procedures include screening, personal protective equipment, and other infection control protocols for visitors; (ii) prohibits such policies from requiring the visitor to provide proof of immunization or vaccination; (iii) requires such policies and procedures to allow consensual physical contact between the visitor and the resident, client, or patient of the facility; (iv) authorizes the resident, client, or patient to designate an essential caregiver and establishes requirements related to essential caregivers; (v) requires that such policies and procedures allow in-person visitation under certain circumstances; (vi) provides that such policies and procedures may require visitors to agree in writing to follow such policies and procedures; (vii) authorizes facilities to suspend in-person visitation of visitors for violations of such agreement; (viii) requires facilities to make such policies and procedures available to the Department for review when applying for initial licensure, licensure renewal, or change of ownership; and (ix) requires facilities and the Department to make such policies and procedures easily accessible on their websites.