Faced with a complex patchwork of state and federal regulations, the senior housing and care industry is closely watching the aftermath of a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. On June 28, the court overturned the so-called Chevron doctrine, a 40-year-old legal precedent that required courts to defer to regulatory agencies to interpret ambiguous laws. The decision means that the power to interpret regulatory questions lies with the courts, not the government agencies that impose the rules.

“There will be a shift in the way administrative regulations are interpreted,” says Ray Braun, president and CEO of the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC). “But it’s early. We don’t know yet how the decision will play out for the senior housing and care industry.”

According to the recent decision, the courts can still side with an agency’s interpretation of a law. Also, rulings in prior cases under the Chevron doctrine are still lawfu