West OC Times

Rep. Michelle Steel (CA-45) has urged Governor Gavin Newsom to delay the implementation of a mandate requiring skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to have alternative power sources during power outages. Steel argues that few facilities can meet this requirement, potentially jeopardizing patient access to skilled nursing care.

Steel is requesting that Newsom extend the compliance deadlines from AB 2511 until January 1, 2029.

“California’s skilled nursing facilities play a vital role in providing long-term care to our state’s senior and developmentally disabled populations. But this regulation’s heavy-handed, short-term compliance window has already strained the operations of SNFs and forced others to close,” said Rep. Steel.

The current enforcement of the requirement diverges from Newsom’s original directive to the Department of Health Care Access Information (HCAI) to implement a “more realistic timeframe for facilities to come into compliance.”

In a letter to Newsom, Steel requested the delay and urged his administration to work with stakeholders to ensure proper care for SNF patients. “I urge your administration to adhere to your original AB 2511 signing message by extending the compliance deadline to January 1, 2029 and collaborating with stakeholders to develop guidance that prioritizes SNF patients’ access to care,” wrote Rep. Steel.

You can view Steel’s full letter go Governor Newsom here