BILL 46

Life Partners in Long-Term Care Act

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, enacts as follows:

Definitions

1 The following definitions apply in this Act.

“life partner” means either of two persons who (partenaire de vie)

aare married to each other,

bare not married to each other but have cohabited continuously in a conjugal relationship for at least one year immediately prior to one of the persons being placed in a long-term care facility, or

care considered by the Minister to be in a relationship with each other analogous to a relationship referred to in paragraph (a) or (b).

“long-term care facility” means (établissement de soins de longue durée)

aa nursing home licensed by the Minister under the Nursing Homes Act, or

ba community residence or special care home that is a community placement resource approved under the Family Services Act.

“Minister” means the Minister of Social Development and includes any person designated by the Minister to act on the Minister’s behalf. (ministre)

Right of life partners to be placed in same long-term care facility

2 If a person and the person’s life partner have both been assessed by the Minister and are approved for placement in a long-term care facility, the person and the person’s life partner have the right to be placed in the same long-term care facility.

Commencement

3 This Act comes into force on a day to be fixed by proclamation.