H.F. 933 Section 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act shall be known as “Mason’s 1 Law”. 2 Sec. 2. Section 10A.713, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended 3 by adding the following new paragraph: 4 NEW PARAGRAPH . r. Pediatric palliative care centers as 5 defined in section 135J.1. 6 Sec. 3. Section 135J.1, subsection 4, Code 2025, is amended 7 by striking the subsection and inserting in lieu thereof the 8 following: 9 4. “Hospice patient” or “patient” means an individual who is 10 described by any of the following: 11 a. The individual has been diagnosed by a physician as 12 terminally ill, with a probable life expectancy of one year or 13 less. 14 b. The individual is described by all of the following: 15 (1) The individual is under twenty-one years of age. 16 (2) The individual has been diagnosed with a chronic, 17 complex, life-threatening illness that is expected to shorten 18 the individual’s life expectancy. 19 (3) The individual is not expected to survive past 20 twenty-one years of age. 21 Sec. 4. Section 135J.1, subsection 6, Code 2025, is amended 22 to read as follows: 23 6. “Hospice program” means a centrally coordinated program 24 of home and inpatient care provided directly or through an 25 agreement under the direction of an identifiable hospice 26 administration providing palliative care and supportive medical 27 and other health services to terminally ill patients and their 28 families. A licensed hospice program shall utilize a medically 29 directed interdisciplinary team and provide care to meet the 30 a unit of care’s physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and 31 other special needs which are experienced during the final 32 stages of illness, dying, and bereavement. Hospice care shall 33 be available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. 34 Sec. 5. Section 135J.1, Code 2025, is amended by adding the 35 -1- LSB 2677HV (1) 91 dg/ko 1/ 4

H.F. 933 following new subsection: 1 NEW SUBSECTION . 8A. a. “Pediatric palliative care center” 2 means a residential care facility as defined in section 3 135C.1, that only serves individuals described in subsection 4, 4 paragraph “b” , and that only provides respite care services as 5 defined in section 135C.1, and hospice program services. 6 b. Notwithstanding section 135C.1, subsection 21, a 7 pediatric palliative care center may provide care and services 8 to individuals who require the services of a registered or 9 licensed practical nurse on a nonemergency basis. 10 Sec. 6. Section 135J.7, Code 2025, is amended to read as 11 follows: 12 135J.7 Rules. 13 Except as otherwise provided in this chapter , the The 14 department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A necessary 15 to implement this chapter . Formulation of the rules shall 16 include consultation The department shall consult with Iowa 17 hospice organization representatives and other persons affected 18 by this chapter . and the rules shall, at a minimum, provide for 19 all of the following: 20 1. A pediatric palliative care center shall not serve more 21 than twelve hospice patients at any one time. 22 2. A pediatric palliative care center’s interdisciplinary 23 team may include volunteers who provide a personal presence 24 that augments other services available to a patient admitted to 25 the pediatric palliative care center, the patient’s family, or 26 the patient’s health care provider. 27 3. A pediatric palliative care center’s rooms may be used 28 for respite care services, end-of-life care, or both. 29 4. A pediatric palliative care center shall have a 30 registered nurse or licensed practical nurse onsite and 31 available at all times a patient is at the pediatric palliative 32 care center. 33 5. A pediatric palliative care center shall include 34 adequate space for the family of a patient to visit the 35 -2- LSB 2677HV (1) 91 dg/ko 2/ 4

H.F. 933 patient, cook for and eat with the patient, and stay overnight 1 with the patient while the patient is at the pediatric 2 palliative care center. 3 6. A pediatric palliative care center shall not be required 4 to provide a patient with items for the patient’s health, 5 safety, or daily living needs, including but not limited to 6 durable medical equipment and medications. 7 7. Any medication brought by a patient to a pediatric 8 palliative care center as a part of the patient’s medical care 9 plan shall be documented by the pediatric palliative care 10 center, stored in a secure space, administered by the pediatric 11 palliative care center’s staff as directed in the patient’s 12 medical care plan, and returned to the patient upon the 13 patient’s departure or disposed of upon the patient’s death. 14 8. A pediatric palliative care center shall be eligible for 15 funding available to other licensed residential care facilities 16 and hospice programs that treat individuals with an illness 17 or disability, including but not limited to funding from the 18 federal social services block grant, the state supplementary 19 assistance program, the hospice respite benefit, home and 20 community-based services waivers, any funding source under 21 chapter 249A, and any benefit a nursing facility under chapter 22 135C may be eligible for related to respite care services. 23 EXPLANATION 24 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 25 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 26 This bill relates to pediatric palliative care centers 27 (PPCCs). 28 The bill defines “hospice patient” as an individual who is 29 either an individual diagnosed by a physician as terminally 30 ill with a probable life expectancy of one year or less, or 31 an individual under 21 years of age diagnosed with a chronic, 32 complex, life-threatening illness that is expected to shorten 33 the individual’s life expectancy, and who is not expected to 34 survive past 21 years of age. 35 -3- LSB 2677HV (1) 91 dg/ko 3/ 4

H.F. 933 The bill defines “pediatric palliative care center” as a 1 residential care facility that serves individuals under 21 2 years of age, who have been diagnosed with a chronic, complex, 3 life-threatening illness that is expected to shorten the 4 individual’s life expectancy, and who are not expected to 5 survive past 21 years of age; and that only provides respite 6 care services and hospice program services. 7 Under current law, a residential care facility is not 8 permitted to provide care and services to individuals who 9 require the services of a registered or licensed practical 10 nurse on a nonemergency basis. The bill exempts PPCCs from 11 this restriction. The bill also exempts PPCCs from certificate 12 of need requirements. 13 The bill requires the department of health and human 14 services to adopt rules for PPCCs that are consistent with 15 requirements outlined in the bill. 16 The bill shall be known as Mason’s Law. 17 The bill makes a conforming change to Code section 135J.1 to 18 allow a “hospice program” to take place at a PPCC. 19 -4- LSB 2677HV (1) 91 dg/ko 4/ 4