Assembly approves bill requiring notice and community forums before hospital closures

The Assembly passed legislation requiring hospitals to give advance notice and for the Department of Health to convene a community forum and accept written comments when a general hospital or a time‑sensitive department seeks to close. Sponsor Miss Simon framed the bill as a response to recent abrupt closures and a tool to ensure communities and local officials receive timely information.

“Before the hospital closes, we would engage with the community, provide an opportunity for public comment, and ensure the closure plan reflects the community’s health needs,” Miss Simon said on the floor. She described notification timelines tied to the filing of closure applications and said closure plans must address continuity of emergency and transitional care.

Opponents said the statutory timeline could worsen staffing and financial pressures by signaling impending closures and accelerating staff departures and supplier reactions. “When a hospital announces it’s closing, nurses and suppliers respond and that can hasten the end of the facility,” a member opposing the bill said.

Supporters pointed to prior closures where they said the public lacked critical information and urged the Department to use the new process to explore alternatives and preserve services where possible. The Assembly recorded the vote as Ayes 111, Noes 35; the bill passed and will be implemented through Department of Health procedures.