BILL NUMBER: S7250

SPONSOR: KENNEDY
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act relating to establishing the aging in place
task force, and providing for its powers and duties

 
PURPOSE:

This task force is charged with determining the ability of a person to
live in one's own home and community safely, independently, and comfort-
ably, regardless of age, income, or ability level" (according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Aging in place task force. There is hereby established within
the office for the aging an aging in place task force. The purpose of
the task force shall be to study how the state can encourage aging in
place including, but not limited to, an examination of:

(a) infrastructure and transportation improvements,
              

(b) zoning changes to facilitate home care,

(c) enhanced nutrition programs and delivery options,

(d) improved fraud and abuse protections,

(e) expansion of home medical care options,

(f) tax incentives, and

(g) incentives for private insurance.

§ 2. The aging in place task force shall consist of a total of sixteen
members and shall include: the commissioner of the state office of
temporary and disability assistance or his or her designee; the director
of the office for the aging or his or her designee; the chairperson and
ranking member of the standing senate and assembly committees of aging
or his or her designee; two people appointed by the governor; two people
appointed by the temporary president of the senate; one person appointed
by the majority leader of the senate; one person appointed by the minor-
ity leader of the senate; two people appointed by the speaker of the
assembly; one person appointed by the majority leader of the assembly;
and one person appointed by the minority leader of the assembly. The
chairperson and ranking members of the standing senate and assembly
committees of aging and the appointees of the temporary president of the
senate, majority leader of the senate, minority leader of the senate,
speaker of the assembly, majority leader of the assembly and minority
leader of the assembly may be members of the legislature. All appoint-
ments to the aging in place task force shall be made no later than thir-
ty days after the effective date of this act. Any vacancy shall be
filled by the appointing authority.

§ 3. There shall be two chairpersons selected from among the members of
the aging in place task force. One chairperson shall be selected by the
temporary president of the senate and one chairperson shall be selected
by the speaker of the assembly. Such chairperson shall schedule the

first meeting of the task force, which shall be held no later than sixty
days after the effective date of this act.

§ 4. The members of the aging in place task force shall serve without
compensation, except that members shall be allowed their necessary and
actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties under this
act.

§ 5. The office for the aging shall provide the aging in place task
force with such facilities, assistance, and data as will enable such
task force to carry out its powers and duties. Additionally, all other
departments or agencies of the state or subdivisions thereof shall, at
the request of the chairpersons, provide such task force with such
facilities, assistance, and data as will enable such task force to carry
out its powers and duties.

§ 6. The aging in place task force shall issue a report of its findings
and recommendations to the governor, the temporary president of the
senate and the speaker of the assembly no later than January 1, 2018.

§ 7. The aging in place task force shall terminate on the date that it
submits the report required in section six of this act or December 31,
2017, whichever is later.

§ 8. This act shall take effect immediately.

 
EXISTING LAW:

None exist at this time.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

If you're like the majority of Americans, you want to continue living in
a familiar environment throughout your maturing years.

In life, sooner or later, the house that was built for an "average"
family does not work and one of the greatest concerns people have as
they grow older is that they may have to leave their home. In fact an
AARP survey found the number of Americans desiring to stay in their
homes for the rest of their lives, to "Age in Place", to be greater than
80%.

Aging in Place means living in your homes safely, independently and
comfortably, regardless of age or ability level.

Whether for physical, geographic, or monetary reasons, much of the aging
population will someday have to face this issue. This possibly means
leaving behind a comfortable living space, family, a familiar community
and many memories. In addition, a certain amount of control is lost when
a person gives up their home. This "control" provides the bases to our
feelings of dignity, quality of life and independence. One's Home, their
Haven, is a strong element in that sense of security.

As health care costs rise and stays at hospitals or even transitional
care get shorter, the aging population must decide how they want to
spend their hard earned dollars.


The purpose of the task force is to examine the needs of senior citizens
and in doing so the appropriate state agencies will be able to encourage
aging in place including, but not limited to, an examination of the
above mentioned concerns.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

Latimer 2014 - Referred to Aging
Latimer 2015-16 Referred to Aging (S.566A)

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined

 
LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.