E Authorizing nursing homes to train and employ resident assistants to assist residents with eating and drinking upon federal approval, specifying certain assistant qualification requirements, requiring volunteerism, evaluations and criminal background checks, prohibiting retaliation against employees choosing not to volunteer for the program and subjecting resident attendants to requirements for volunteer feeding assistants; prohibiting the assignment of resident attendants to feed residents at risk of choking or presenting significant behavior management challenges or other risk factors; requiring the commissioner of health to examine state and federal rules and regulations governing the provision of care in nursing facilities and to develop and implement alternative procedures for the nursing home survey process, specifying certain consultation requirements; requiring the commissioner to pursue changes to federal law necessary to accomplish the requirement and to apply for federal waivers or approval; prescribing the process to be used in the examination and certain factors to be considered by the commissioner in developing alternative procedures for the survey process; modifying the requirement for physician approval of certain intervals for checking incontinent nursing home residents; requiring the commissioner to develop and report to the legislature by a certain date a proposal to resolve the issue of defensive documentation in nursing homes, specifying certain consultation requirements; requiring the commissioner to seek a federal waiver to decrease the amount of paperwork involved in certain shorter nursing home stays; requiring the commissioners of health and human services to develop and report to the legislature by a certain date a proposal to decrease regulations impeding direct care of nursing home residents, consultation requirements; repealing the penalty for death due to abuse or neglect and a certain rule (mk, ja)