A proposed Bill of Rights for residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities was withdrawn from consideration before a Florida constitutional revision commission, a move drawing praise from industry advocates.

Commissioner Brecht Heuchan made the announcement Tuesday, saying he didn’t want to make changes that would have been needed to win passage.

It was a measure that had captured the attention of long-term care professionals nationwide. Proponents said Proposal 88 would have ensured residents were treated “courteously, fairly and with dignity.” Facilities would have been required to ensure that they had the financial resources or liability insurance to compensate residents and their families for “any loss, injury, and damage they suffer because of abuse, negligence, neglect, exploitation or violations of residents’ rights.” The state government could have launched new audits or required annual cost reports for reimbursement.

But opponents argued that the bill — crafted in the wake of 14 Hurricane Irma-related deaths at a Hollywood Hills nursing home — would have been nothing but a tool for costly litigation.

“As we’ve said from the beginning, the proposal would have done nothing to improve the lives of nursing home and ALF residents,” said Steve Bahmer, president of LeadingAge Florida. “Instead, it would only have served to benefit trial attorneys and divert already scarce resources that should be spent on the care of frail seniors.”