ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor

The Honorable Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr.
President of the Senate
State House
Annapolis, MD 21401

Dear Mr. President:

In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the Maryland Constitution, I have today
vetoed Senate Bill 343 - Health Facilities - Nursing Homes - Family Council.

This bill provides for the composition of a family council, and authorizes a family
council to be created or led by the owner, operator, or staff of a nursing home under
specified circumstances. It requires a nursing home to give new and prospective
residents specified information about a family council in the nursing home, and
requires the nursing home to respond in writing to any written grievance or other
communication from the family council within 14 calendar days, after receiving a
communication.

House Bill 484, which was passed by the General Assembly and signed by me on May
11, 2004, accomplishes the same purpose. Therefore, it is not necessary for me to sign
Senate Bill 343.

Very truly yours,
Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr.
Governor

Senate Bill No. 343

AN ACT concerning

Health Facilities - Nursing Homes - Family Council

FOR the purpose of providing for the composition of a family council for a nursing
home; prohibiting a family council from being created or led by certain persons;
authorizing a family council to be created or led by certain persons under certain
circumstances; requiring a nursing home to give certain persons certain
information about a family council in the nursing home; requiring the nursing
home to respond in writing to certain communications from the family council
within a certain time frame; requiring a nursing home to create and to maintain
certain correspondence files; providing for the contents of certain files; requiring
records in regulatory files to be unedited; requiring records in public files to
delete certain information; providing the times for the review of public files by
certain persons; requiring a nursing home to promptly comply with a request by
a licensing authority to review certain files; requiring the Secretary of Aging to
adopt certain regulations; defining a certain term; and generally relating to a
family council in nursing homes.

BY renumbering

Article - Health - General

Section 19-1415

to be Section 19-1416

- 2765 -

S.B. 343