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H2216 • 2025

An Act relative to the administration of anti-psychotic or other psychotropic substances to nursing home residents

An Act relative to the administration of anti-psychotic or other psychotropic substances to nursing home residents

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Sally P. Kerans
Last action
2026-04-23
Official status
Accompanied a study order, see H5338 (under House Rule 27)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act relative to the administration of anti-psychotic or other psychotropic substances to nursing home residents

An Act relative to the administration of anti-psychotic or other psychotropic substances to nursing home residents By Representative Kerans of Danvers, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act relative to the administration of anti-psychotic or other psychotropic substances to nursing home residents By Representative Kerans of Danvers, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 2216) of Sally P.
  • Kerans and Carmine Lawrence Gentile relative to anti-psychotic or other psychotropic.
  • Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-23 House

    Accompanied a study order, see H5338 (under House Rule 27)

  2. 2026-01-12 House

    Reporting date extended to Wednesday, March 18, 2026

  3. 2025-10-03 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 10/14/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-2

  4. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery

  5. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

  6. House

    Reported by committee to Clerk’s Office for processing, will accompany a study order

Official Summary Text

An Act relative to the administration of anti-psychotic or other psychotropic substances to nursing home residents
By Representative Kerans of Danvers, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2216) of Sally P. Kerans and Carmine Lawrence Gentile relative to anti-psychotic or other psychotropic. Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
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Bill H.2216

SECTION 1. Section 72BB of chapter 111 of the general laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended, by inserting at the end of subsection (b), the following:

“for the purposes of this section, a psychotropic is any drug that affects brain activities associated with mental processes and behavior” The relevant drug categories are antipsychotics, antidepressants, anxiolytics, and depressants. Additional drugs, such as anticonvulsants, may also be included in this definition, especially if these medications are administered for the same reason as a psychotropic medication.

SECTION 2. Said section 72BB of chapter 111, is hereby further amended after subsection (c ), the following additional subsections:

(d) Failure of a nursing home to submit the Nursing Home (NH) Antipsychotic Medication Measures report as required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid shall constitute a violation of this section, that shall be punishable by a monetary penalty as established by the department; and any pattern of failure to submit said reports may be punishable by suspension of new admissions to such nursing home.

(e ) Each quarterly report of the Nursing Home (NH) Antipsychotic Medication Measures report as required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid shall, at the time of submission be prominently posted on the department website and the website of the respective nursing home as public information.

(f) The care plan of any resident to whom a psychotropic is administered, shall list the name and license number of the authorized prescriber, the date of evaluation documenting the need for the prescription, the reasons for prescribing said psychotropic, and shall certify that the resident or guardian, if any, has given informed consent, such written declaration shall be made under the penalties of perjury.

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