(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities would decide when patients may have visitors during health emergencies such as pandemics, under legislation Illinois lawmakers are considering.
State Representative Chris Bos, R-Lake Zurich, said the state barred visitors during the pandemic, even in cases where the visits could have been handled safely.
In many cases, dying patients couldn’t be with loved ones, he said. “We’ve also heard the stories of fathers who weren’t able to be there for the birth of their own children, and so we needed to make some adjustments moving forward.”
Both the Illinois Senate and House have approved a bill that would let health care facilities decide if it's safe enough for at least one relative or a member of the clergy to visit a patient, regardless of state mandates.
The House made some changes to the bill. If the Senate approves those changes, the bill heads to Gov. Pritzker’s desk.
Related
