As expected, the House today took up the pandemic policy extension bill passed by the Senate on Tuesday. In its version of the bill, the House removed from the 2020 law on notice and disclosure the section requiring DPH to implement the law including the provision that would impose fines of up to $2,500 on providers for each violation of the notice and disclosure provisions of the law. The Senate had only delayed implementation of the law and penalties until 2025.

The House and Senate will now need to reconcile their versions of the bill. There are other provisions of the overall bill that will need to be reconciled as well. For health care providers, the likelihood that the state’s implementation along with penalties will be either delayed 2.5 years or not enforced at all is likely.