As Introduced

136th General Assembly

Regular Session S. B. No. 344

2025-2026

To enact section 3701.95 of the Revised Code regarding health care facilities and infection prevention textiles.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That section 3701.95 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 3701.95. (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Health care facility" means any of the following:

(a) An ambulatory surgical facility, freestanding dialysis center, freestanding inpatient rehabilitation facility, freestanding birthing center, freestanding radiation therapy center, or freestanding or mobile diagnostic imaging center licensed under section 3702.30 of the Revised Code;

(b) A maternity home licensed under Chapter 3711. of the Revised Code;

(c) A hospice care program licensed under Chapter 3712. of the Revised Code, but only when providing care and services other than in a home;

(d) A pediatric respite care program licensed under Chapter 3712. of the Revised Code;

(e) A nursing home, residential care facility, or home for the aging licensed under Chapter 3721. of the Revised Code;

(f) A hospital licensed under Chapter 3722. of the Revised Code;

(g) A hospital or inpatient unit licensed under section 5119.33 of the Revised Code;

(h) A residential facility licensed under section 5119.34 of the Revised Code;

(i) A residential facility licensed under section 5123.19 of the Revised Code;

(j) A nursing facility or skilled nursing facility, each as defined in section 5165.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Hygienically clean certified facility" means a facility that processes one or more infection prevention textiles in a manner that renders the textiles free of pathogens in sufficient numbers to prevent human illness.

(3) "Infection prevention textile" means a fabric-based item that is designed, throughout its useful lifespan, to be laundered and returned in a hygienically clean state to a health care facility for reuse in order to safely and hygienically protect patients, health care providers, and the medical environment by limiting the transfer of microorganisms by blood or other bodily fluids. Such items may include personal protective equipment like isolation gowns, hoods, and boot covers; privacy curtains; sheets; pillow cases; bath blankets; thermal blankets; bath towels; face cloths; hand towels; patient gowns; shower curtains; incontinence pads; surgical drapes and wraps; reinforced surgical gowns; scrub suits and warm-up jackets; patient slings; mattress covers; cubical curtains with antimicrobial properties; and other health care grade ultra-microfiber products manufactured to meet federal centers for disease control and prevention health care laundry guidelines.

(B) Subject to division (C) of this section, with respect to a health care facility's operating threshold of items maintained to protect patients, health care professionals, and the medical environment from the transfer of microorganisms by blood and other bodily fluids, at least fifty per cent of that operating threshold shall consist of reusable infection prevention textiles. The remainder of the facility's operating threshold may consist of single-use or disposable items that limit the transfer of microorganisms by blood or other bodily fluids.

(C) A health care facility's personnel may reuse infection prevention textiles only if both of the following are the case:

(1) Their reuse is consistent with guidance issued by the federal centers for disease control and prevention.

(2) After each use, the textiles are processed by a hygienically clean certified facility and then returned to circulation at the health care facility.

In reusing infection prevention textiles under this section, each health care facility shall regularly rotate its stock of infection prevention textiles being used, returned to a laundry facility, processed by a hygienically clean certified facility, and returned to the health care facility for reuse.

(D) The requirements of this section do not apply to a health care facility if, on the facility's request, the department responsible for licensing the facility determines that the facility has successfully demonstrated that it is unable to satisfy the requirements of this section solely as a result of one or more supply chain disruptions beyond its control.

(E)(1) Each health care facility shall maintain records demonstrating the percentage of its operating threshold of infection prevention textiles available for reuse and shall make such records available to the department responsible for licensing the facility on the department's request.

(2) The departments of health, developmental disabilities, and behavioral health shall each develop a procedure whereby individuals may report violations of this section.