(a) All rules shall be proposed for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of §29A-3-1 et seq. of this code. The secretary shall recommend the adoption, amendment or repeal of such rules as may be necessary or proper to carry out the purposes and intent of this article.

(b) The secretary shall recommend rules establishing minimum standards of operation of nursing homes including, but not limited to, the following:

(1) Administrative policies, including:

(A) An affirmative statement of the right of access to nursing homes by members of recognized community organizations and community legal services programs whose purposes include rendering assistance without charge to residents, consistent with the right of residents to privacy;

(B) A statement of the rights and responsibilities of residents in nursing homes which prescribe, as a minimum, such a statement of residents" rights as included in the United States Department of Health and Human Services regulations, in force on the effective date of this article, governing participation of nursing homes in the Medicare and Medicaid programs pursuant to 42 U.S.C.A. §§ 1395 et seq. and 1396 et seq.;

(C) The process to be followed by applicants seeking a license;

(D) The clinical, medical, resident, and business records to be kept by the nursing home;

(E) The procedures and inspections for the review of utilization and quality of resident care; and

(F) The procedures for informal dispute resolution, independent informal dispute resolution, and administrative due process, and when such remedies are available;

(2) Minimum numbers of administrators, medical directors, nurses, aides and other personnel according to the occupancy of the facility;

(3) Qualifications of the facility"s administrators, medical directors, nurses, aides, and other personnel;

(4) Safety requirements;

(5) Sanitation requirements;

(6) Personal services to be provided;

(7) Dietary services to be provided;

(8) Medical records;

(9) Social and recreational activities to be made available;

(10) Pharmacy services;

(11) Nursing services;

(12) Medical services;

(13) Physical facility;

(14) Resident rights;

(15) Visitation privileges that:

(A) Permit immediate access to a resident, subject to the resident"s right to deny or withdraw consent at any time, by immediate family or other relatives of the resident;

(B) Permit immediate access to a resident, subject to reasonable restrictions and the resident"s right to deny or withdraw consent at any time, by others who are visiting with the consent of the resident; and

(C) Permit access to other specific persons or classes of persons consistent with state and federal law; and

(16) Admission, transfer and discharge rights.

(c) To ensure compliance with §29A-3-11(b)(3), the secretary shall amend his or her legislative rule to exempt federally certified Medicare and Medicaid nursing facilities from provisions addressed in the federal regulations.

(d) The director shall permit the nonclinical instruction portions of a nurse aide training program approved by the Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification to be provided through distance learning technologies.