State Legislation Introduced in 2007 and 2008
|
|
State
|
Bill
Number
|
Date Intro-
duced
|
Date
Enacted
|
Description
|
| AL |
H.B. 435 |
2/14/2008 |
6/25/2007 |
Bill would establish an Alzheimer's Disease Task Force to assess the current and future impact of Alzheimer's disease in Alabama. Among other things, the Task Force would be charged with examining the availability of home-based and community-based services for people with Alzheimer's disease and respite care for caregiving families. |
| AZ |
H.B. 2789 |
4/30/2007 |
6/25/2007 |
Bill would establish a Lifespan Respite Program for family caregivers of children or adults with special needs who do not currently qualify for other publicly funded respite services, as well as provide training for respite care providers, support the growth and maintenance of a statewide respite coalition and conduct a study on the need for respite care throughout people's lifetimes. |
| CA |
S.B.727 |
2/23/07 |
Vetoed by Governor, 10/07 |
Bill would expand eligibility for the state's Paid Family Leave law to include workers who provide care for a seriously ill grandparent, grandchild, parent-in-law, or sibling. Currently, workers are allowed to take up to six weeks off and be paid about 55% of their wages to care only for a seriously ill parent, child, spouse, or registered domestic partner, or to bond with a new child. |
| CA |
S.B. 836 |
2/23/07 |
Vetoed by Governor, 10/07 |
Bill would add "familial status" to the list of prohibited bases for employment discrimination under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. The intent is to protect workers who may have family care responsibilities from being discriminated against at work. |
| CA |
A.B.537 |
2/21/07 |
Vetoed by Governor, 10/07 |
Bill would expand the rights of workers under the California Family Rights Act by providing job protection to those who have to take leave to care for a seriously ill adult child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, or parent-in-law. |
| CA |
A.B. 2716 |
2/27/08 |
- |
Bill would allow all workers in the state to accrue paid sick days for personal illness, to care for a sick family member or to recover from domestic violence or assault. The bill would guarantee workers at small businesses up to 40 hours or 5 days a year of paid sick leave, while providing all other workers with 72 hours or 9 paid sick days a year. |
| CO |
S.B. 58 |
1/14/08 |
5/20/2008 |
Bill would establish a Colorado Alzheimer's Coordinating Council charged with reviewing the availability of services and resources for people with Alzheimer's disease, their families and their caregivers, as well as developing a comprehensive state plan with a short- and long-term approach to confronting the challenges presented by Alzheimer's disease. The Council will include one Alzheimer's caregiver and one person with early-stage Alzheimer's disease, among others. |
| HI |
H.B.795 |
1/22/07 |
- |
Bill would provide family caregivers with a refundable income tax credit of up to $1000 -caregivers who earn $30,000 or less would receive the full credit and those who earn above $30,000 and would earn a percentage of $1000; there is no income cap. Caregivers must be related to the care recipient by blood, marriage or adoption; and care recipients must be 60 years or older and either be living with the caregiver or receiving significant financial support from them. |
| HI |
H.B. 807/ S. B. 1194 |
1/22/07 |
5/24/2007 |
Bill expands "kupuna care," the state's long-term care program that supports adults age 60 and older and family caregivers. It appropriates $500,000 each for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007-2008 and FY 2008-2009 to expand in-home and access services to older adults who need assistance in order to remain living at home and support services, including respite, training, education and counseling, for family caregivers. |
| HI |
S.B. 1916 |
1/24/07 |
- |
Bill would strengthen family caregiver support services by extending the joint legislative committee on family caregiving; requiring the executive office on aging to conduct an overall assessment of care recipient and caregiver needs in the state, as well as an assessment of grandparents raising granchildren; and expanding services for care recipients and their family caregivers. (Variations of this bill iclude H.B. 825, S.B.1202) |
| HI |
S.B. 2830 |
1/22/2008 |
7/7/2008 |
Bill would extend the Joint Legislative Committee on Family Caregiving and change its name to the Joint Legislative Committee on Aging in Place; expand its mandate to include aging in place issues related to family caregiving; require the Committee to develop a model for a Cash and Counseling project; allow kupuna care to include overnight, weekend, and emergency respite, as well as provide grants to caregivers and for home modification; establish a task force to focus on the needs and issues of grandparents raising grandchildren; appropriates funds to increase payments to residential adult care homes for low-income adults. |
| IL |
H.B. 374 |
1/23/07 |
- |
Bill would expand family and medical leave benefits – twelve weeks of unpaid leave a year – to a worker who cares for a son-in-law, daughter-in-law, father-in-law, or mother-in-law with a serious health condition. Currently, the law only applies to those caring for a spouse, child or parent. |
| IL |
H.B. 652 |
2/6/2007 |
8/31/2007 |
Bill will amend the state's Community Care Program, which provides home- and community-based services to adults 60 years and older, by allowing family members to be the designated, paid home care providers. The bill amends the program by requiring that all program participants also be enrolled in Medicaid; it removes home health services from the Community Care Program and adds "medication management," "emergency home response" and "flexible senior services;" and it ensures that care recipients have the right to choose the services contained in their care plan, that they can direct how those services are provided, and that services are available in evenings and on weekends. |
| IL |
H.B.1683 |
2/22/07 |
- |
Bill would provide up to four weeks of paid leave to workers caring for a seriously ill family member, bonding with a new child, or recovering from their own serious illness. "Family members" are defined as the worker's child, spouse or domestic partner, parent, or parent-in-law. The benefit would be capped at 67% of wages, up to $380 per week. |
| IL |
S.J.R. 43 |
4/18/2007 |
7/17/2007 |
Bill urges the Department of Public Health to immediately comply with the Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Act in activating the Alzheimer's Disease Advisory Committee, which is charged with assessing the current and future impact of Alzheimer's disease on the residents of Illinois, examining the existing services and resources to address the needs of persons with Alzheimer's, as well as their families and caregivers, and developing an Alzheimer's Disease and Other Related Dementia State Plan, which includes family caregiver support. |
| IL |
S.B. 2112 |
2/14/2008 |
- |
Bill would establish a demonstration project to reimburse spousal caregivers providing care to a spouse who qualifies for the state's Medicaid Home Services Program. The demonstration project would operate in selected counties and be limited to serving no more than 100 people a year. |
| KS |
S.B. 657 |
2/27/2008 |
- |
Bill would establish a lifespan respite care program for caregivers who do not qualify for other publicly funded respite services. The legislation would appropriate funds to be used for a study on the need for respite in the state, to support the growth and maintenance of a statewide respite coalition, to identify local training resources for respite providers and to link families to respite services and other support. |
| KY |
H.B.257 |
2/6/07 |
- |
Bill would allow family caregivers to receive a nonrefundable "elder care" income tax credit based on a percentage of their income. Qualified caregivers must be related to the care recipient by blood, marriage or adoption and must have lived with the care recipient for at least months during the taxable year. Care recipients must be 60 years or older and have an annual income less then $20,000. |
| KY |
S.J.R. 6 |
1/2/07 |
- |
Bill would direct the Kentucky Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Advisory Council and the Office on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders to assess the current and future impact of Alzheimer's disease in Kentucky. The assessment must "examine the existing services and resources, address the needs of persons with Alzheimer's disease and their families and caregivers, and identify a strategy to mobilize a state response." |
| ME |
H.B. 1514 |
1/8/2008 |
3/27/2008 |
Law will allow workers in the state to take family and medical leave to provide care to a sibling with a serious illness. In addition to siblings, workers are currently allowed leave to care for a sick spouse, domestic partner, parent or child. |
| MD |
H.B. 40 |
1/9/2008 |
5/22/2008 |
Law will allow allow employees to use their accrued paid sick leave to care for an immediate family member, including a parent, child or spouse. |
| MA |
S.B. 114 |
1/10/2007 |
- |
Bill would allow workers in Massachusetts to take up to twelve weeks of paid leave to care for a seriously ill spouse, child or parent or for the birth or adoption of a new child. Workers would be paid 80% of their wages or salary, but not more than $750 per week. Workers who have been employed for at least 12 months and have worked at least 1250 hours with that employer in the past 12 months would also be granted job protection if they take paid leave. |
| MA |
S.B. 1071 |
1/10/2007 |
- |
Bill would establish temporary disability insurance and family temporary disability insurance for employees who need time off because of their own serious health condition or to care for an ill spouse, child, parent, parent-in-law, sibling, grandparent, grandchild or other relative living with the house with the employee. Employees are allowed up to 12 weeks of leave with pay equal to 66% of their average weekly wage, but not to exceed 57.5 percent of the state average weekly wage, plus 25 dollars for each dependent. |
| MA |
S.B. 1073/ H.R. 1803 |
1/10/2007 |
- |
Bill would direct all employers to provide a minimum of 7 paid sick days per year to employees to care for their own health or to care for their ill child, spouse, parent, or parent-in-law. |
| MA |
H.B. 1779 |
1/11/2007 |
- |
Bill would establish a paid family leave program for Massachusetts employees, allowing them to recieve up to twelve weeks of paid leave to care for a seriously ill spouse, child or parent or for the birth or adoption of a new child. Employees will contribute .1% of their wages (no more than $120 annually) to a family fund; and employees who take leave will be paid from this fund an amount equvalent to what they would get for unemployment insurance. |
| MN |
H.F.313/ S.F.696 |
1/25/07 |
- |
Bill would give a refundable tax credit of up to $200 a month to qualified caregivers who provide unpaid care to a spouse, parent, sibling, child, grandparent, or step-relative on a daily basis. Each applicant's specific tax credit amount would be based on a caregiver burden scale developed by the state. Family caregivers who receive the credit must attend at least eight hours of caregiver training, education, counseling, or support group sessions. |
| MN |
S.F. 1024/ H.F. 1172 |
2/19/07 |
- |
Bil is an omnibus tax bill which includes a caregiver tax credit up to $100 a month - a max of $1,200 a year - to qualified caregivers who provide unpaid care to a relative of any age on a daily basis. Each applicant's specific tax credit amount would be based on a caregiver burden scale developed by the state. Family caregivers who receive the credit must seek physician's certification, as well as attend at least eight hours of caregiver training, education, counseling, or support group sessions. (Provisions were adapted from H.F. 313/S.F. 696) |
| MN |
H.F. 2178/ S.F. 1931
|
3/19/07 |
- |
Bill would establish and fund various community-based long-term care programs and services, including the establishment of a evidence-based support program for family caregivers of adults age 60 and older; a refundable caregiver tax credit of $200 a month for each month a person is a family caregiver with a provision for caregiver assessment; a home modification financial assistance program for households with adults age 60 and older; and other transportation, mobility, and elder abuse programs. |
| MS |
S.B.2310 |
1/2/07 |
- |
Bill would would require Medicaid to create adult day services for individuals 65 years and older and people with disabilities whose income falls below 135% of the poverty line. The program is intended to provide respite to family caregivers. The adult day services can be provided by public or private entities, which will be reimbursed by the state. |
| MO |
H.B. 40 |
1/3/07 |
- |
Bill would raise the income tax deduction from 50% of an annual premium to 100% of the premium on long-term care (LTC) insurance. The bill also states that the amount the LTC policy pays out for a person's care should be deducted when calculating that individual's total assets in determining his or her eligibility for Medicaid. |
| NJ |
S.B. 2249/ A. 3812 |
10/16/2006 |
- |
Bill would provide family leave benefits for workers caring for sick family members, including a child, spouse, domestic partner, or parent with a serious health condition, or bonding with a newborn or newly adopted child. Bill would guarantee employees up to ten weeks of paid family leave at two-thirds of their weekly wage, up to a maximum weekly amount of $502. |
| NJ |
S.942/
A. 2029 |
1/17/2007 |
4/9/2007 |
Bill would require the Department of Health and Senior Services to post certain information about the state's long-term care and adult day health facilities on the state website, including the ownership of each facility and any violations regarding the care of the patients or the condition of the facility. |
| NJ |
S.786/
A. 2080 |
1/24/2008 |
5/2/2008 |
Bill would expand the state's Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) program to cover all workers who take leave to care for a seriously ill family member, including a child, spouse, domestic partner or parent, or to bond with a newly born or adopted child. Workers would be able to receive up to two-thirds of their normal paycheck (capped at $524 a week) for up to 6 weeks over a 12 month period. The program would be funded through a small payroll deduction ranging from 34 cents a week for minimum wage workers up to 64 cents for anyone making over $27,700 a year. |
| NM |
S.B.727 |
1/07 |
- |
Bill would provide caregivers with a refundable income tax credit of up to 50% of home care expenses incurred for the care of an ill or disabled relative, who must be 65 years or older. |
| NY |
S.459/ A.1464 |
1/3/07 |
- |
Bill would provide caregivers with a refundable income tax credit of 20% on the first $2,400 spent on qualified care expenses, plus an additional $75 tax credit for any amount spent over $240. Qualified caregivers are those with an adjusted gross income less than $45,000, or $60,000 for married couples. Care recipients must be 60 years or older, live with the caregiver, be related to the caregiver within three degrees, and have an adjusted gross income of $13,000 or less, or $20,000 or less for married couples. Qualified expenses include home health agency services, adult day services, personal care services, respite care, health care equipment, home modification, etc. |
| NY |
S. 458/ A.1450 |
1/3/07 |
- |
Bill would establish a senior care choices program to provide adults age 60 years or older who are medically eligible for a nursing home the long-term care and services they need at home or in the community, including a provision requiring a needs assessment of the individual and "the informal caregiving network and supports capable of providing social and nonmedical services to the senior." |
| NY |
A. 844 |
1/3/07 |
- |
Bill would provide state employees with 30 days of paid leave to care for a parent or relative 60 years or older, including family members related by blood, adoption or marriage. |
| NY |
A. 899 |
1/3/07 |
- |
Bill would create a coordinating council for services related to Alzheimer's and other dementias which, among other things, would make recommendations on ways to support family caregivers. |
| NY |
S. 763 |
1/9/07 |
- |
Bill would allow family caregivers to deduct elder care expenses from their federal adjusted gross income for determining state and city income taxes. Elder care is defined as custodial care and household expenses for a parent, grandparent, unlce or aunt who lives with the taxpayer and would otherwise require nursing home care. |
| NY |
A. 1469 |
1/9/07 |
- |
Bill would authorize the state's commissioner of health to apply for federal approval to establish a cash and counseling program. |
| NY |
A. 965/ S. 2033 |
1/10/07 |
- |
Bill would establish a Grandparent Caregiver Support program to provide support services, such as information and referral, training and counseling, to grandparents and other relatives 60 years or older who provide primary support for a child. Area Agencies on Aging would be able to create grandparent caregiver resource centers to provide such services. |
| NY |
A. 6477/ S. 4063A |
3/12/2007 |
- |
Bill would establish the enhanced social model adult day services demonstration program, which would allow certain adult day care programs and home care agencies to provide additional medical services to persons in a social model setting, thus enabling individuals to receive the most appropriate care in the most integrated and cost effective setting. This allows care recipients to stay in their homes and communities longer, while providing respite to the family caregiver. |
| NY |
A. 7999/ S. 4738 |
4/20/2007 |
- |
Bill would establish a family temporary care insurance program within the state's disability insurance program for workers who need time off to care for an ill family member, including a child, spouse, sibling, parent, grandparent, or in-law. Workers would be allowed up to 14 weeks off to provide care, including "psychological comfort and arranging third party care," and would receive the same benefit as provided to workers taking disability leave. The bill would also establish a task force to report on the usage, costs, and other evaluations of this family care insurance program. |
| NY |
S. 5821/ A. 9245 |
5/11/2007 |
- |
Bill would would expand the state's workers' compensation program to allow employees to take time off to care for an ill family member, including a child, spouse, domestic partner, parent, parent-in-law, or grandchild, or to bond with a new child. This paid family leave policy would be funded by employees, who would pay an additional 45 cents a week from their paycheck, and it would allow employees to take up to twelve weeks off with up to $170 a week in wages. |
| NY |
S. 2060/ A. 416 |
1/9/2008 |
- |
Bill would provide an income tax exemption to taxpayers who care for a parent, stepparent, sibling or immediate family member who is 70 years or older and resides in the caregiver's household. These caregivers would be allowed an additional tax exemption of $1,000 for each elderly dependent whose gross income does not exceed $5,000 or, in the case of a husband and wife with joint income, does not exceed $7,500. |
| NY |
A. 10042/
S. 7010 |
2/26/2008 |
- |
Bill would establish home care demonstration programs that would provide eligible individuals with access to high quality, appropriate nursing services. The programs are intended to provide care receivers and family caregivers more choice and control over who is providing care and to increase and retain the workforce of nurses willing to provide such care. Licensed home care agencies who participate in the demonstrations must provide families with ongoing education and assistance as is necessary regarding the recruitment, hiring, scheduling and managing of the nurses and describe the agency's quality assurance mechanisms. |
| OR |
H.B. 2575 |
2/13/2007 |
- |
The bill would create a Family Leave Benefits Insurance program for workers taking leave to care for an ill family member, including a child, spouse, parent, or parent-in-law, to bond with a new child, or because they have a serious health condition. Full-time workers on leave would receive $250 a week for up to six weeks. The new insurance program would be funded by a one cent per hour deduction from employees' paychecks. |
| OR |
S.B. 768 |
2/28/2007 |
- |
Bill would provide family caregivers with a nonrefundable tax credit of up to $500 for expenses related to caregiving, including training and supplies. Caregivers must be providing in-home care without compensation to a senior relative or to a relative with disabilities. The bill would also establish a Family Caregiver Support Advisory Board to advise the Department of Human Services on the needs of family caregivers in programs administered by the department. |
| PA |
H.B. 1830 |
9/8/2007 |
- |
Bill would amend a state-funded caregiver support program for family members and others caring for an older adult or adult with dementia. Services would be provided through area agencies on aging and include respite, counseling, education and training, benefits counseling, financial support for home modification and assistive devices, and other support services. |
| TN |
S.B. 826 |
2/7/2007 |
7/12/2007 |
The bill creates a 14-member Tennessee Alzheimer's Disease Task Force (TADTF), including one Alzheimer's caregiver and one person with the disease, which will assess the current and future impact of Alzheimer's disease on people in the state, examine the existing resources addressing the needs of people with Alzheimer's, and develop a strategy to mobilize a state response to the disease. The Task Force must submit a progress report by Feb. 15, 2008, and a State Alzheimer's Plan by Feb. 15, 2009 |
| TN |
S.B. 4181 |
1/31/2008 |
6/17/2008 |
The bill will expand access to home and community-based services for low-income elderly and disabled adults with Medicaid (TennCare in Tennessee). The bill will restructure the long-term care system, reallocating funding from nursing home care to home and community-based services, streamlining the approval process for those services, and providing the services to 2,300 additional Medicaid recipients. |
| TX |
S.B. 1315 |
3/7/2007 |
5/11/2007 |
Law will create a statewide silver alert for missing senior citizens. The bill sets out provisions relating to recruiting participants, notification about a missing senior citizen, and activation, content, and termination of the silver alert. |
| TX |
S.B. 1865 |
3/9/2007 |
- |
Bill would create a lifespan respite pilot program for family members and friends who provide ongoing care to people with a chronic illness or disability. Respite services include in-home services, adult day services and facility-based services. Funding would be provided for community-based organizations or local government entities to provide access to respite services, to recruit, train and maintain a directory of service providers, to implement public awareness activities regarding respite services, and other activities. |
| TX |
S.B. 1766 |
3/9/2007 |
6/16/2007 |
Law will modernize language in Texas statute by more clearly establishing a "consumer direction model," rather than referring to a voucher payment program for eligible adults with long-term care needs. It charges the established Consumer Direction Work Group with developing recommendations to expand delivery of consumer direction services, to optimize the provider base for consumer direction, to expand access to support advisors, to monitor national research for best practices, and to provide assistance on outreach efforts. |
| WA |
S.B.5659 (H.B.1658) |
1/26/07 |
5/8/2007 |
Bill would provide workers up to five weeks of paid leave, at $250 a week for full-time wokers and less for part-time workers, due to the birth or adoption of a new child. The bill also created a joint legislative task force to determine how the new program should be financed and administered. Provisions to allow workers to take leave to care for a seriously ill family member were taken out of the bill before final passage. |
| WA |
S.B. 6222/ H.B. 2668 |
1/8/2008 |
- |
Bill would establish a one-time voucher benefit for family caregivers to receive respite. Along with addressing other long-term care needs, the bill would require the state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) would create a caregiver assessment and develop a referral tool to determine eligibility for the respite voucher and other caregiver support services, including long-term care planning, counseling and access to other community services. |
| WY |
S.F.89 |
1/8/07 |
3/15/07 |
Law expands long-term care services, including increasing the number of slots for the state-financed, community-based in-home program. Among other things, the program allows some recipients to choose their own in-home care provider, including a family member, and provides financial help to pay for their services. |
