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SB 613 · 2026 · Senate · Health and Human Services Committee

Health facility rules near hospitals

AI-generated

(New Title) relative to licensing requirements for health care facilities established within a 15 mile radius of a critical access hospital and relative to transfers from freestanding hospital emergency facilities.

Requires health care facilities within 15 miles of a critical access hospital to provide written notice, establishes standards for patient transfers from freestanding emergency facilities based on clinical appropriateness and patient choice, and bans coercive or exclusive transfer practices.AI-generated

Status

Died on the table in the Senate · March 26, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕Senate
  3. House
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill: I. Requires a health care facility to provide certified, written notice to a critical access hospital if the facility will be located within a 15 mile radius of the critical access hospital. II. Establishes standards governing the transfer of patients from freestanding hospital emergency facilities to acute care hospitals to ensure that such transfers are based primarily on clinical appropriateness, patient safety, continuity of care, and patient choice. III. Bans coercive or exclusive transfer practices, reinforces EMTALA requirements, and gives the state authority to enforce violations.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as amended by the Senate. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

““Freestanding hospital emergency facility” or “FHEF” means a facility licensed under this chapter that is geographically separate from an acute care hospital and provides emergency medical services on behalf of, or in affiliation with, a parent hospital.”
RSA 151:54
“When a transfer from a freestanding hospital emergency facility to an acute care hospital is medically necessary, the facility shall ensure that transfer decisions are based primarily on clinical appropriateness, patient safety, continuity of care, and patient choice.”
RSA 151:55
“No freestanding hospital emergency facility, nor any entity owning or operating such facility, shall:”
RSA 151:56
“Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to alter, expand, or restrict obligations under the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), 42 U.S.C. section 1395dd.”
RSA 151:57

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Sen. Suzanne PrentissDPrimeAssistant Democratic Leader
  • Sen. Bill GannonRChair· Judiciary
  • Sen. Cindy RosenwaldDDeputy Democratic Leader
  • Sen. Rebecca Perkins KwokaDMinority Leader

Also: Sen. Donovan FentonD, Sen. David WattersD, Sen. Pat LongD, Sen. Debra AltschillerD, Sen. Tara ReardonD

Public testimony

No one submitted online testimony on this bill. See the record

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced

Hearings and debates

  • Mar 4, 2026Public hearingSenate Health and Human Services2:20:49–2:23:382m 49slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Mar 26, 2026Floor debateSenate floor5:28:30–5:35:307mlocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1177s; Ought to Pass with Amendment #2026-1177s — adopted, voice vote; Committee Amendment # 2026-1177s — adopted, voice vote

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 7, 2026SenIntroduced 01/07/2026 and Referred to Health and Human Services; SJ 1
  2. Mar 4, 2026SenHearing: 03/04/2026, Room 100, SH, 10:00 am; SC 7
  3. Mar 26, 2026Sen: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1177s, 03/26/2026; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 11
  4. Mar 26, 2026SenSB 613 was Removed from the Consent Calendar; 03/26/2026; SJ 7
  5. Mar 26, 2026SenCommittee Amendment # 2026-1177s, AA, VV; 03/26/2026; SJ 7
  6. Mar 26, 2026SenOught to Pass with Amendment #2026-1177s, MA, VV; 03/26/2026; SJ 7
  7. Mar 26, 2026SenSen. Birdsell Moved Laid on Table, MA, VV; 03/26/2026; SJ 7
  8. Mar 26, 2026SenPending Motion OT3rdg; 03/26/2026; SJ 7

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.