Senior issues newsletter, 2020 March 16

5/1/2020

2020 Weekly Newsletter | Gcoa

GCOA's Senior Issues Newsletter: Week of March 16, 2020

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Legislative Session Halted

In this Issue:

With the news of the unfortunate death of a 67 year old male from COVID-19 in Kennesaw, the Georgia legislative leadership made the tough decision to suspend the legislative session indefinitely to prevent further spread of the virus. The announcement was made just after 4pm Thursday afternoon on what is known as crossover day. Crossover day is the last day that a bill can be passed out of one chamber and sent to the other chamber. Bills that don't get a floor vote by crossover day generally won't be passed this year.
The Senate adjourned just before 7pm while the House went until just after midnight before they adjourned. Although this is an unprecedented move, Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan stated, "Speaker Ralston and I are working diligently to ensure that, at the appropriate time, the General Assembly resumes its critically important work." GCOA will continue our efforts to advocate for important legislation and will keep CO-AGE members informed about the status of the session. Please check in with us on our Facebook and Twitter feeds for important updates. Read more on the legislature suspension HERE.

Session Suspended COVID-19 HCBS Funding Behavioral Health and Housing Personal Care Home Requirements Older Adult Transportation Options for Senior Living Other Legislative Updates Engage with CO-AGE Update Save the Dates

Important Information on COVID-19
It has been reported that the populations that are most at risk of getting very ill from COVID-19 are older adults and individuals with serious chronic medical conditions. As advocates for older adults, we want to make sure that we work to protect these populations by providing information on how to get ready for COVID-19 and how to reduce risk of exposure.
Please read the links below for information regarding COVID-19 and how to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html https://www.ncoa.org/blog/coronavirus-what-older-adults-need-to-know/
https://dph.georgia.gov/novelcoronavirus

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5/1/2020

2020 Weekly Newsletter | Gcoa
HCBS Funding Still Intact
HCBS and Meals funding remains in the FY2021 budget. Additionally, funding for four new surveyors was added to the budget for Healthcare Facility Regulation as a measure to enforce compliance in long-term care facilities. Also, all of the long-term care surveyors will get a 2% raise. Throughout the budget process, GCOA has repeatedly called for new funding for more surveyors. See links below:
Advocates urge lawmakers to fund reform of senior care system As state struggles to protect seniors, agency mum on more inspectors
We are glad that these requests are being heard. Now we need the Senate to approve these additions.
HCBS and Meals also remained intact in the AFY2020 budget. The House and Senate have worked out their differences and the AFY2020 budget now goes to the Governor for his signature. AAA's have been notified that their funding has been restored. Read the issue summary here

BHH Project has Interest from the Senate
The Senate Appropriations Economic Development Subcommittee meeting has also been suspended until further notice. Funding for Behavioral Health and Housing projects will need to come from this subcommittee. GCOA, ARC, and Leading Age representatives will be reminding Senators of the need for this funding.
Read the issue summary here

Next Steps for HB 987
When the legislature re-convenes, HB 987 hopefully will get a hearing in the Senate Regulated Industries Committee. GCOA will issue an alert tomorrow for all CO-AGE members to contact their Senator and urge them to support the strong provisions in HB 987. Please act on this alert when you receive it. Read the issue summary here
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5/1/2020

2020 Weekly Newsletter | Gcoa

Success with HB 105
HB 511, passed by the House last year, has been scaled down by the Senate this year. The excise tax fees on ride-hailing trips, originally part of HB 511, did survive by attachment to HB 105 when it was passed by the Senate. Proposed changes to House Bill 105, sponsored by state Rep. Sam Watson, R-Moultrie, would add a small flat fee to ride-hailing trips with Uber, Lift, and taxi services to generate funding to expand transportation access. The bill passed the Senate and was amended in the House to make those fees available for transit. The excise tax fees would give added flexibility to public agencies in providing transportation options for older adults. HB 105 passed in the House 150-7 late Thursday night. Once the session re-convenes, we expect the Senate to agree to this addition.
Read the issue summary here

HR 533 Study Committee Report Released
The House Study Committee on Innovative Options for Senior Living released their recommendations to address the obstacles faced by older Georgians needing affordable housing. The efforts to pass HB 987 have eclipsed the recommendations from this study committee but, they are part of public record and can be referenced in future years. Read the full HR 533 study committee report HERE. Read the issue summary here
Other News
HB 955 Stripped on Crucial Language
The original HB 955, sponsored by Rep. Chuck Efstration (R Dacula), required "notification to the coroner or county medical examiner when a person dies in a long-term care facility under certain circumstances." This is the third time in over 15 years that GCOA has supported action on this issue. It was heard in subcommittee last Monday but no action was taken. See article HERE. Thanks to pressure from advocates, HB 955 was heard in full committee last Wednesday but the committee stripped the bill of the crucial language requiring notification of the coroner. The new version did not make it to the House floor for a vote on crossover day. When the session re-convenes, Rep. Efstration may try to get the legislation attached to another bill. Stay tuned!
Bill Impacts Right to Sue
GCOA has been keeping a close eye on HB 1089, SB 390, and SB 415. All three bills address so called "tort reform" in civil litigation. GCOA is concerned about efforts to allow more individuals to sign arbitration agreements on behalf of a nursing home resident. Signing a binding arbitration agreement removes the right of the individual in the nursing home to file a lawsuit against the home in the event of a dispute or other violation. None of these bills made it into the other chamber by crossover day. Once the legislature reconvenes, GCOA will be watching to see of any attempts to add this language to bills that are moving.
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5/1/2020

2020 Weekly Newsletter | Gcoa
Sunset provision removed from Family Care Act in Senate
SB 408, sponsored by Sen. Brian Strickland to remove the sunset provision on the Family Care Act, passed in the Senate on Thursday with a vote of 50-6. The act, a legislative issue advocated for by GCOA in 2017, was signed by Governor Deal after the 2017 legislative session. The act allows individuals to use accrued sick leave for the care of immediate family members. The sunset provision stated it would be "repealed in its entirety on July 1, 2020, unless extended by an act of the General Assembly."
A CO-AGE alert was sent last week urging CO-AGE members to remind senators that, given the threat of the Coronavirus, it is more important than ever for people to be able to use sick leave to care for their loved ones. We are grateful to all of our CO-AGE members who participated in the alert. Your alerts helped to get this bill passed! We look forward to seeing this bill on the House floor for a vote when the session reconvenes.

Engage with CO-AGE Update
As the situation around coronavirus (COVID-19) evolves, GCOA wants to ensure CO-AGE members and Engage with CO-AGE participants that we are keeping up with the most current information about the status of the illness. Our top priority is to ensure the safety of Georgia's older adult population.
At this point, we are not planning on cancelling the Engage with CO-AGE events. We want to make sure that Georgia's seniors are provided with important updates on the legislative priorities along with a summary of how Georgia's seniors fared during the 2020 legislative session. That information is important to our community, and getting seniors involved with the decisions and policy that directly impact their healthcare, housing, rights, and safety is likewise crucial.
GCOA will continue to monitor the developments and spread of coronavirus and will take any proactive steps needed to ensure the safety of our senior population. We will keep you informed if any changes to the Engage with CO-AGE schedule are made.
Save the Dates

Visit www.gcoa.org/engage-with-co-age for more information, or contact Eric Ryan at eric.ryan@gcoa.ga.gov

2020 Georgia Council on Aging

2 Peachtree St., NW, Suite 32-270, Atlanta, GA 30303-3142

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