United States · Bill · HR
H.R. 2953 (105th)
Elder Care Safety Act of 1997
Introduced
8 November 1997
Last action
20 November 1997 · Referred
Status
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.
Sponsors
Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., II [D-MA-8], Rep. Regula, Ralph [R-OH-16], Rep. Martinez, Matthew G. [D-CA-31], Rep. Morella, Constance A. [R-MD-8], Rep. Maloney, Carolyn B. [D-NY-12], Rep. Barrett, Thomas M. [D-WI-5], Rep. Weygand, Robert A. [D-RI-2], Rep. Lipinski, William O. [D-IL-3], Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2], Rep. Boehlert, Sherwood [R-NY-24], Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. [D-FL-20], Rep. Frank, Barney [D-MA-4], Rep. Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. [D-MI-13], Rep. Borski, Robert A. [D-PA-3], Rep. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40], Rep. Kennedy, Patrick J. [D-RI-1], Rep. Stark, Fortney Pete [D-CA-13], Rep. Rangel, Charles B. [D-NY-15], Rep. Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [D-NY-25], Rep. Ford, Harold E., Jr. [D-TN-9], Rep. Serrano, Jose E. [D-NY-15], Rep. Evans, Lane [D-IL-17], Rep. Cummings, Elijah E. [D-MD-7]
Subjects
Healthcare
Source updated
3 June 2026
Summary
Elder Care Safety Act of 1997 - Declares that a nursing facility (including a skilled nursing facility), home health agency, or hospice program (covered facility) under the Medicare and Medicaid programs of titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act may not: (1) employ an individual as a nurse or home health aide unless the facility has requested from the State nurse and home health aide registry a background check (including a criminal as well as an abusive work history background check); or (2) continue to employ such an individual if the background check report reveals a conviction of a disqualifying crime. Requires the covered facility to report to such registry documented findings of patient abuse by a nurse or home health aide. Imposes civil penalties upon covered facilities that violate such requirements. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish methods by which State nurse and home health registries can pool and share criminal background check summaries and documented findings of patient abuse (national registry coordination system). Requires each State to expand its Medicare and Medicaid nurse aide registry in order to carry out such background checks and other related functions, including reporting of summary information to the national registry coordination system. Sets forth procedures for criminal and abusive work history background checks. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish a patient abuse prevention and training demonstration project; and (2) report to the Congress recommendations on whether minimum nurse and home health aide personnel-to-patient levels should be required to avoid patient abuse and, if so, the levels for different types of covered facilities. Authorizes appropriations.
This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.
Timeline
8 November 1997
Introduced
Referred to House Commerce
Source: IntroReferral
8 November 1997
Introduced
Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Source: IntroReferral
8 November 1997
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
8 November 1997
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
18 November 1997
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Source: Committee
20 November 1997
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.
Source: Committee
Votes
No vote records are attached yet.
Versions
- Introduced in House · 8 November 1997 · Download file
Documents
3 official files
Introduced in House (text)
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Leesvertaling
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Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN · 8 November 1997
Introduced in House (PDF)
Introduced in House · EN · 8 November 1997
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Introduced in House
summary · EN · 8 November 1997
Leesvertaling
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Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.
Sponsors
- Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., II [D-MA-8] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Regula, Ralph [R-OH-16] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Martinez, Matthew G. [D-CA-31] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Morella, Constance A. [R-MD-8] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Maloney, Carolyn B. [D-NY-12] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Barrett, Thomas M. [D-WI-5] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Weygand, Robert A. [D-RI-2] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Lipinski, William O. [D-IL-3] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Boehlert, Sherwood [R-NY-24] · R · Cosponsor
- Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. [D-FL-20] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Frank, Barney [D-MA-4] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. [D-MI-13] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Borski, Robert A. [D-PA-3] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Kennedy, Patrick J. [D-RI-1] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Stark, Fortney Pete [D-CA-13] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Rangel, Charles B. [D-NY-15] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [D-NY-25] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Ford, Harold E., Jr. [D-TN-9] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Serrano, Jose E. [D-NY-15] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Evans, Lane [D-IL-17] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Cummings, Elijah E. [D-MD-7] · D · Cosponsor
- · hsif00 · Standing
- · hswm00 · Standing
Related records
No cross-record relationships stored yet.
Sources
PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.
- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/2953
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/105/hr/2953
- us · 105-hr-2953 · source updated 3 June 2026