House Bill 872 would create the “Health Care Facility Right to Visit Act” and prohibit covered health care facilities from adopting policies that restrict a patient’s ability to receive visits from designated family members or friends during any hospitalization or treatment lasting more than 24 hours. The bill applies to long-term care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, continuing care retirement communities, and other facilities licensed by or issued a certificate of need by the Mississippi Department of Health. It expressly includes visits during a declared public health emergency.
The bill allows facilities to impose reasonable safety requirements, but it requires that at least two designated family members or friends be permitted to visit for no less than two hours per day. It also provides that facilities will not be liable for damages for claims arising from compliance with the act, and that this immunity is additive to any other immunity available under state or federal law. The act would take effect July 1, 2025.
Impact
HB872 would change the operating rules for a broad range of licensed and certificate-of-need health care facilities in Mississippi by limiting their ability to restrict visitation policies for patients in extended hospitalizations or treatment stays. It would create a new statutory right to visitation for patients and impose a minimum visitation floor, while preserving facility authority to enforce reasonable safety measures. The bill also adds a liability shield for facilities that comply with the act, potentially reducing exposure to damages claims tied to visitation access decisions.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be framed as a patient- and family-access bill with a generally supportive policy posture. The sponsors’ stated purpose suggests an emphasis on maintaining family contact during care, including during emergencies, while balancing that access with safety requirements for facilities. No contrary sentiment is documented in the provided record.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are the scope of the visitation mandate, the requirement that at least two designated visitors be allowed for a minimum of two hours per day, and the application of the rule even during declared public health emergencies. Health care facilities may view these provisions as limiting their discretion to manage infection control, staffing, security, or patient-specific care needs, while supporters are likely to emphasize patient rights, family presence, and continuity of emotional support. The liability immunity provision may also draw attention because it protects facilities that comply with the act from damages claims.