Massachusetts legislation · 194th General Court
Massachusetts H2396: An Act relative to safe patient handling and mobility in certain health facilities
Status: In committee, July 30, 2026
What the bill says
From the introduced text, February 27, 2025:
Chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 91C the following section:- Section 91D. As used in this section, the following words, shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:- “Department”, the department of public health. “Health care facility”, any hospital licensed pursuant to sections 51 and 52 and the teaching hospital of the university of Massachusetts medical school, which contains a majority of medical-surgical, pediatric, obstetric, and maternity beds, as defined by the department, any institution, however named, whether conducted for charity or for profit, which is advertised, announced, established or maintained for the purpose of caring for persons admitted thereto for diagnosis, medical, surgical, or restorative treatment which is rendered within said institution , any licensed private, public or state-owned and operated general acute care rehabilitation hospital or unit, any licensed private, public or state-owned and operated general acute care psychiatric hospital or unit, any nursing home as defined in section 71 and any long term care facility as defined in section 71, and long term care facilities, including any institution, however named, whether conducted for charity or profit, which is advertised, announced or maintained for the express or implied purpose of caring for four or more persons admitted thereto for nursing or …
Sponsors
- Marjorie Decker (D, 25th Middlesex) · primary sponsor
- Whipps, Susannah M. (I, 2nd Franklin)
- Rodney Elliott (D)
- Colleen Garry (D)
- Paul Feeney (D, Bristol and Norfolk)
- Thomas Stanley (D, 9th Middlesex)
- Vanna Howard (D, 17th Middlesex)
- Manny Cruz (D)
- Michael Brady (D, Second Plymouth and Norfolk)
- Adrianne Ramos (D)
- Christopher Flanagan (D)
- Estela Reyes (D)
Latest actions
- : Committee recommended bill ought to pass and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means
- : Reporting date extended to Friday, July 31, 2026
- : Reporting date extended to Monday, June 15, 2026
- : Reporting date extended to Wednesday, March 18, 2026
- : Reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Health Care Financing
- : Reporting date extended to Tuesday, October 21, 2025
- : Hearing rescheduled to 06/23/2025 from 09:00 AM-01:00 PM in B-1
- : Senate concurred
- : Referred to the committee on Public Health
Votes
- Committee Vote - Joint Committee on Health Care Financing (July 16, 2026): 13 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Committee Vote - Joint Committee on Public Health (October 21, 2025): 10 yea, 1 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is H2396?
- H2396 is a bill in the Massachusetts Legislature (194th General Court): An Act relative to safe patient handling and mobility in certain health facilities.
- What is the status of H2396?
- In committee as of July 30, 2026. Latest action: Committee recommended bill ought to pass and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means (July 30, 2026).
- Who sponsored H2396?
- Marjorie Decker (D, 25th Middlesex), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for H2396?
- On the Massachusetts Legislature website: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H2396
Source: official Massachusetts record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.