State Sen. Daniel Squadron is proposing legislation to create a “community process” for future nursing home closures.
Squadron was one of many local leaders who testified yesterday before a City Council oversight committee looking into the Rivington House fiasco. The city lifted deed restrictions on the former nursing home, which was sold to luxury condo developers for $116 million.
Squadron announced the proposed “Rivington Act” in a press release put out earlier today. According to the senator, the legislation, “would strengthen oversight by creating a transparent process when nursing homes are threatened, and (require) the State Department of Health to ensure local community needs can adequately be met before approving any closure.” Specifically, the bill would require the state to produce a public closure report, to reject any closure plan if community health needs cannot be met and to consider recommendations from local stakeholders.
The legislation is being sponsored with Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon. Yuh-Line Niou, Democratic nominee in the 65th Assembly District, is also backing the bill.
“When community health needs are replaced with profiteering, the system has clearly flatlined,” said Squadron. “The process at Rivington House left communities without a voice, without notice, and without a nursing home. The Rivington Act is a critical component of ensuring our state protects the public interest at nursing homes.”
