‘This will change the course of things’: Newsom signs bill sparked by KCRA’s ‘Dignity Delayed’ investigation
Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law that was introduced in response to what KCRA 3 exposed in its Emmy-Award winning investigation, Dignity Delayed.
Assemblymember Maggy Krell (D-Sacramento) authored Assembly Bill 2598. It passed through the legislature with no opposition.
“This is the kind of bill where if I told someone about it, they would say, ‘Wait, how is that not already law?’” Krell said.
The new law will create consequences for hospitals if they fail to notify families after a patient dies.
In a nearly two-year investigation, KCRA 3 revealed several Dignity Health hospitals in the Sacramento area are accused of failing to notify families and county officials, in some cases for months and even years, after patients died.
Instead, bodies were left to decompose in cold storage at an off-site morgue without a death certificate.
KCRA 3 Investigates found the backlog was linked to deaths as early as 2020, and it continued for several years. It involved more than 100 patients at hospitals, including Mercy San Juan and Mercy General.
Dignity Health said the COVID-19 pandemic and staffing issues caused death certificate delays.
It is also now fighting civil court lawsuits filed by two families who say they had even reported their loved ones missing to law enforcement and were still left in the dark about their family member’s whereabouts.
Moving forward, Assembly Bill 2598 outlines clear consequences if hospitals fail to notify next of kin or county officials.
“It’s always really inspiring to see those family members, you know, rise up and turn their pain into a real purpose and a real advocacy,” Assemblymember Krell said. “What they did here, this will change the course of things. This won’t happen again because of their efforts.”
The new law allows state regulators to fine a hospital $200 dollars a day, up to $50,000, for delays in notifying next of kin.
When hospitals cannot identify family, they are supposed to tell the county public administrator.
However, the Dignity Delayed investigation found that Dignity Health failed to do that in a timely manner.
So, the new law would also make it clear that hospitals have two business days to do that or they could be liable for burial or cremation costs.
Ginger Congi is one of the family members who was impacted by the Dignity Health delays.
She said she did not learn of her daughter’s death until one year later.
“I am relieved to tears with the passage of AB 2598 and knowing there will be accountability moving forward,” Congi said. “This is an important step for me and my family to start the healing process. I am grateful to all who have recognized the importance and helped us to get to this point.”
The new law takes effect January 1, 2027.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel.