HB1509

House Bill 1509 amends the Arkansas 'No Patient Left Alone Act' to expand its scope and enforceability. It mandates that outpatient facilities, such as ambulatory surgery centers and imaging services, comply with the same visitation and support person requirements currently required for hospitals and long-term care facilities. The bill explicitly authorizes support persons to stay overnight with patients and codifies visitation rights for spouses, legal guardians, and parents. It outlines specific scenarios where support persons must be permitted, particularly for patients with disabilities. Furthermore, the bill establishes a formal complaint process for violations and introduces civil penalties of at least $500 per day for non-compliant facilities. Finally, it addresses the rights of clergy members to provide religious or spiritual support, even during states of emergency, while allowing for reasonable safety precautions.