SF 2063 (LSB 5579XS (5) 90)

SENATE FILE 2063

BY  BROWN

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing a nursing home administrator training pilot program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  155.20  Nursing home administrator training pilot program.
   1.  The department of inspections, appeals, and licensing shall establish a nursing home administrator training pilot program to provide opportunities for individuals pursuing the profession of nursing home administrator, prior to an individual receiving a nursing home administrator license, to obtain on-the-job experience supervised by a licensed nursing home administrator.
   2.  An applicant for the pilot program shall provide evidence of all of the following to the department:
   a.  Compliance with section 155.3, subsections 1 and 2.
   b.  An offer of employment from a participating nursing home in the state that has received a minimum overall rating of three stars from the five-star quality rating system created by the centers for Medicare and Medicaid services of the United States department of health and human services.
   c.  The name of the participating nursing home at which the applicant will be employed and receive training, and the name of the participating nursing home administrator who will act as the applicant’s supervisor during the pilot program. The participating nursing home administrator shall hold a current license in good standing as a nursing home administrator, have at least two years of experience, and shall not be related to the applicant within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity.
   3.  a.  Upon acceptance into the pilot program, the nursing home administrator trainee shall work in the participating nursing home under the supervision of the participating nursing home administrator for a minimum of two consecutive years.
   b.  During the training period, the board shall grant the trainee a provisional license, and shall waive the examination requirements pursuant to section 155.3 and any continuing education requirements prescribed by the board under section 155.10.
   c.  Subject to the availability of funds appropriated to the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing for the purpose of the pilot program:
   (1)  The department shall consider approving up to ten applicants in the first year of the pilot program.
   (2)  The department shall reimburse a participating nursing home for thirty percent of the trainee’s base salary during the first year, not to exceed thirty thousand dollars, and ten percent of the trainee’s base salary during the second year, not to exceed ten thousand dollars.
   d.  If a trainee is terminated by the participating nursing home for cause, the trainee shall refund to the department the portion of the trainee’s base salary reimbursed by the department.
   4.  Upon completion of the training period, the participating nursing facility shall submit verification to the board that the trainee is in good professional standing and shall report any unprofessional conduct or disciplinary action taken against the trainee during the training period.
   5.  Notwithstanding any other required qualifications for licensure, upon completion of the training period and payment of the license fee pursuant to section 155.5, the trainee shall be eligible for licensure as a nursing home administrator.
   6.  The department shall adopt rules to administer the pilot program, including criteria for designating a nursing home as a participating nursing home and a nursing home administrator as a participating nursing home administrator.
   7.  The department of inspections, appeals, and licensing shall submit a report to the general assembly by December 31, 2026, that provides an assessment of the pilot program and a recommendation to continue the pilot program, continue the pilot program with modifications, or terminate the pilot program.
    Sec. 2.  Section 155.9, Code 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   155.9  Duties of the board —— rules for provisional licenses.
   In addition to the duties and responsibilities provided in chapters 147 and 272C, the board shall adopt rules for granting a nursing home administrator provisional license to under the following circumstances:
   1.  To an administrator appointed on a temporary basis by a nursing home’s owner or owners in the event the regular administrator of the nursing home is unable to perform the administrator’s duties or the nursing home is without a licensed administrator because of death or other cause. Such provisional license shall allow the provisional licensee to perform the duties of a nursing home administrator. An individual shall not hold a provisional license for more than twelve total combined months, and the board may revoke or otherwise discipline a provisional licensee for cause after due notice and a hearing on a charge or complaint filed with the board.
   2.  To a nursing home administrator trainee while participating in the nursing home administrator training pilot program established under section 155.20.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill requires the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing (DIAL) to establish a nursing home administrator training pilot program (pilot program) to provide opportunities for individuals pursuing the profession of nursing home administrator, prior to an individual receiving a nursing home administrator license, to obtain on-the-job experience supervised by a licensed nursing home administrator. 
   An applicant for the pilot program shall provide evidence to DIAL of: compliance with the requirements for an applicant for a nursing home administrator license to be of sound mental health and physically able to perform the duties and to have presented satisfactory evidence of sufficient education, training, or experience to administer, supervise, and manage a nursing home; an offer of employment from a participating nursing home in the state that has received a minimum overall rating of three stars from the federal five-star quality rating system; the name of the participating nursing home in which the applicant will be employed and train; and the name of the participating nursing home administrator who will act as the applicant’s supervisor during the pilot program. 
   Upon acceptance into the pilot program, the nursing home administrator trainee shall work in the participating nursing facility under the supervision of a participating nursing home administrator for a minimum of two consecutive years. During the training period, the board shall grant the trainee a provisional license and waive the examination requirements and any continuing education requirements prescribed by the board.
   Subject to the availability of funds appropriated to DIAL for the purpose of the pilot program: DIAL shall consider approving up to 10 applicants in the first year of the pilot program; and DIAL shall reimburse the participating nursing home for 30 percent of the trainee’s base salary during the first year, not to exceed $30,000, and 10 percent of the trainee’s base salary during the second year, not to exceed $10,000. If a trainee is terminated by the participating nursing home for cause, the trainee shall refund to DIAL the portion of the trainee’s base salary reimbursed by DIAL.
   Upon completion of the training period, the participating nursing home shall submit verification to the board that the trainee is in good professional standing and shall report any unprofessional conduct or disciplinary action taken against the trainee during the training period.
   Notwithstanding any other required qualifications for licensure, upon completion of the training period and payment of the license fee, the trainee shall be eligible for licensure as a nursing home administrator. The bill directs DIAL to adopt administrative rules to administer the pilot program.
   The bill requires DIAL to submit a report to the general assembly by December 31, 2026, with an assessment of the pilot program and a recommendation to continue the pilot program, continue the pilot program with modifications, or terminate the pilot program.
   The bill makes a conforming change in Code section 155.9 to authorize the board to adopt rules to grant a nursing home administrator provisional license to a nursing home administrator trainee while participating in the pilot program.