Older Iowans Legislature
Pursuing Quality of Life of Iowa's Senior Citizens
The Older Iowans Legislature is a statewide non-partisan, non-profit volunteer organization. Its members advocate for state legislators and the Governor to sign legislation that will result in an improved “Quality of Life for Older Iowans”.
The Older Iowans Legislature places special emphasis on the frail elderly; those citizens who have contributed much to our society, but have exhausted their resources and in need of assistance to lead meaningful lives.
Please take a look at our web site and join our efforts to pursue quality of life for our elderly.
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Latest News
Report from the Older Iowans Legislature Friday May 21, 2021
Members and friends of the Older Iowans Legislature
The 2021 session of the 89th General Assembly adjourned Sine Die on Wednesday, May 19, 2021 at 11:45 pm.
For their leadership in formulating the OIL Priority Issues that were that were submitted for debate to the 2021 session of the Iowa General Assembly, the Board of Directors of the Older Iowans Legislature offers a rousing round of applause to
- Helene Magee: 2020 Chair, Older Iowans Legislature
- Larry Kudej: 2021 Chair, Older Iowans Legislature
The Board of Directors of the Older Iowans Legislature is pleased that a Senate File and a House File related to the OIL Priority Issue of ELDER PROTECTION have been enacted by the 2021 session of the Iowa General Assembly.
- ELDER PROTECTION
- Senate File 450: A bill for an act relating to the death of a dependent adult.
- A caretaker who intentionally or recklessly commits dependent adult abuse on a dependent adult in violation of this chapter which resulted in the death of the dependent adult is guilty of murder in the second degree in violation of section 707.3.
- Senate File 450 was enrolled by the 2021 session of the Iowa General Assembly
- Senate File 450 was signed by Governor Reynolds
- House File 839: A bill for an act relating to the financial exploitation of designated eligible adults, and making an appropriation.
- Appropriated from the Department of Commerce $75,000 for the sole and exclusive purpose of investigating complaints and notifications related to financial exploitation of eligible adults. The insurance division shall use the funds appropriated for one full-time equivalent position.
- House File 839 was enrolled by the 2021 session of the Iowa General Assembly.
- Senate File 450: A bill for an act relating to the death of a dependent adult.
The Board of Directors of the Older Iowans Legislature is disappointed that the 2021 session of the Iowa General Assembly has not enacted laws related to the OIL Priority Issues of:
- LIVABLE HOMES PROGRAM
- House File 717: A bill for an act creating a home retooling tax credit available against the individual income tax, and including applicability provisions.
- The bill lists numerous “home retrofitting” projects that qualify for the credit which relate to providing accessibility to a qualifying residential home. The amount of the credit shall not exceed $5,000 of the actual costs of the home refitting project. The bill limits the credit to $30,000, in the aggregate, during the lifetime of the taxpayer.
- House File 717 has not been passed by the House Ways and Means Committee
- House File 717: A bill for an act creating a home retooling tax credit available against the individual income tax, and including applicability provisions.
- LONG-TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN
- House File 474: A bill for an act relating to the office of the long=term care ombudsman, and making an appropriation.
- $300,000 to increase the number of local long-term care ombudsmen including for salaries, support, administration, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes.
- House File 474 has not been passed by the House Appropriations Committee
- Senate File 200: A bill for an act relating to the office of the long-term care ombudsman, and making an appropriation.
- $300,000 to increase the number of local long-term care ombudsmen including for salaries, support, administration, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes
- Senate File 200 has not been passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee
- House File 474: A bill for an act relating to the office of the long=term care ombudsman, and making an appropriation.
The Board of Directors of the Older Iowans Legislature will soon begin the planning of the 2021 Older Iowans Legislature legislative session in September where and when the OIL delegates will caucus, debate, and vote on the OIL Priority Issues to be submitted to the 2022 session of the Iowa General Assembly. During June, July, and August, the OIL Board of Directors will be soliciting ideas for the 2021 OIL Priority Issues from the OIL delegates and from friends of the Older Iowans Legislature.
2020 PRIORITY ISSUES OF THE OLDER IOWANS LEGISLATURE AS SUBMITTED TO THE 2021 SESSION OF THE IOWA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
- Elder Protection
- Provide specific penalties for acts against older individuals
- Provide funding to provide a single point of entry and coordinate a public awareness program
- Recognize all forms of elder abuse
- Utilize special abuse investigators
- Define mandatory reporters
- Livable Homes Program
- The Livable Homes Program aims to keep residents in their homes and to return persons to their homes with home modifications.
- When the Iowa Department on Aging or the Iowa Finance Authority receives any federal grants for home modification and safe at home programs which requires a state match, either agency shall notify the State Appeals Board of the grant approval and the State Appeals Board shall confirm the grant(s) and shall approve the release of up to $1 million for the Cash Reserve Fund.
- Direct Care Workforce
- The Older Iowans Legislature continues to support a need for a centralized Data Base/Registry for the State of Iowa.
- The Older Iowans Legislature sees this as only the starting place to insure a properly trained workforce is available to an ever increasing elderly population in Iowa.
- Long-Term Care Ombudsman
- Allocate additional funding to the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman to increase the number of regional ombudsman to complete site visits and to provide other resources to respond to the needs of residents as outlined in the Iowa Code using more efficient delivery mechanisms to the residents in long-term care facilities.
ELDER PROTECTION: SENATE FILES/HOUSE FILES RELATED TO OIL PRIORITY ISSUE
- Senate File 450: A bill for an act relating to the death of a dependent adult, and providing penalties. (Formerly Senate File 300)
- February 24, 2021: Introduced, placed on calendar
- February 24, 2021: Committee report, approving bill
- February 24, 2021: Fiscal note
- March 17, 2021: Passed Senate yeas 47, nays 0
- March 17, 2021: Immediate message
- March 17, 2021: Message from Senate
- March 22, 2021: Read first time, referred to Judiciary
- March 23, 2021: Subcommittee: Hite, Kaufmann and Wessel-Kroeschell
- March 31, 2021: Subcommittee recommends passage. Vote Total: 3-0
- April 2, 2021: Committee report, recommending passage
- April 8, 2021: Placed on calendar under unfinished business
- April 14, 2021: Passed House, yeas 92, nays none
- April 14, 2021: Immediate message
- April 15, 2021: Message from House
- April 30, 2021: Reported correctly enrolled, signed by President and Speaker, and sent to Governor
- April 30, 2021: Signed by Governor
- House File 839: A bill for an act relating to the financial exploitation of designated eligible adults, and making an appropriation. (Formerly House File 258, House Study Bill 113)
- March 12, 2021: Introduced, placed on Appropriations calendar
- March 24, 2021: Passed House, yeas 95, nays none
- March 24, 2021: Immediate message
- March 24, 2021: Message from House
- March 25, 2021: Read first time, attached to companion Senate File 583
- April 1, 2021: Placed on calendar under unfinished business
- April 21, 2021: Substituted for Senate File 583
- April 21, 2021: Amendment S-3162 filed, adopted
- April 21, 2021: Passed Senate: yeas 46, nays 0
- April 21, 2021: Immediate message
- April 21, 2021: Message from Senate
- April 21, 2021: Senate amendment H-1407 filed
- April 27, 2021: House concurred in Senate amendment H-1407
- April 27, 2021: Passed House, yeas 93, nays none
- April 27, 2012: Immediate message
- April 28, 2021: Message from House
LIVABLE HOMES PROGRAM: SENATE FILES/HOUSE FILES RELATED TO OIL PRIORITY ISSUE
- House File 717: A bill for an act creating a home retrofitting tax credit available against the individual income tax, and including applicability y provisions.
- March 3, 2021: Introduced, referred to Ways and Means
DIRECT CARE WORKFORCE: SENATE FILES/HOUSEFILES RELATED TO OIL PRIORITY ISSUE
LONG-TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN: SENATE FILES/HOUSE FILES RELATED TO OIL PRIORITY ISSUE
- House File 474: A bill for an act relating to the office of the long-term care ombudsman, and making an appropriation.
- February 10, 2021: Introduced, referred to Appropriations
- Senate File 200: A bill for an act relating to the office of the long-term care ombudsman, and making an appropriation.
- February 2, 2021: Introduced, referred to Appropriations
- February 3, 2021: Subcommittee: Kraayenbrink, Lofgren, and Ragan
OTHER SENATE FILES/HOUSE FILES OF INTEREST TO THE OLDER IOWANS LEGISLASATURE
- Guardianships and Conservatorships
- Senate File 348: A bill for an act relating to the opening, administration, and termination of adult and minor guardianships and conservatorships. (Formerly Senate File 31)
- February 11, 2021: Introduced, placed on calendar
- February 11, 2021: Committee report, approving bill
- March 8, 2021: Amendment S-3047 filed, adopted
- March 8, 2021: Passed Senate, yeas 47, nays 0
- March 8, 2021: Immediate message
- March 8, 2021: Message from Senate
- March 8, 2021: Read first time, referred to Judiciary
- March 11, 2021: Passed on file
- House File 836: A bill for an act relating to the opening, administration, and termination of adult guardianships and adult and minor conservatorships.
- March 11, 2021: Introduced, placed on calendar
- April 1, 2021: Placed on calendar under unfinished business
- April 7, 2021: Amendment H-1366 filed
- House File 834: A bill for an act relating to the creation, administration, and termination of minor guardianships. (Formerly House Study Bill 14)
- March 11, 2021: Introduced, placed on calendar
- April 15, 2021: Referred to Judiciary
- Senate File 348: A bill for an act relating to the opening, administration, and termination of adult and minor guardianships and conservatorships. (Formerly Senate File 31)
- Property assessment adjustment for persons of a certain age
- House File 619: A bill for an act relating to the extraordinary homestead property tax credit and reimbursement for rent constituting property taxes paid for certain elderly claimants and including effective date and applicability provisions.
- February 18, 2021; Introduced, referred to Ways and Means
- Senate File 219: A bill for an act relating to the maximum amount of property taxes due or rent constituting property taxes paid that may be considered in calculating the elderly and disabled property tax credit or rent reimbursement and including applicability provisions.
- February 2, 2021: Introduced, referred to Ways and Means
- February 8, 2021: Subcommittee: Dawson, Dotzler, and Goodwin
- February 11, 2021: Subcommittee reassigned: Whiting, Dawson, and Dotzler
- February 23, 2021: Fiscal note
- February 24, 2021: Subcommittee recommends passage
- House File 82: A bill for an Act providing a property assessment adjustment for certain property of persons who have attained the age of sixty-seven years, six months, providing a penalty, and including retroactive and other applicability provisions.
- January 15, 2021: Introduced, referred to Ways and Means
- Senate File 351: A bill for an act establishing a surviving spouse property tax deferral program for certain persons who have attained the age of sixty-five, applying income limitations, providing a penalty, making appropriations, and including applicability provisions.
- February 11, 2021: Introduced, referred to Ways and Means
- February 16, 2021: Subcommittee: Dawson, Goodwin, and Jochum
- Senate File 15: A bill for an Act providing a property assessment adjustment for certain property of persons who have attained the age of sixty-five, providing a penalty, and including retroactive and other applicability provisions.
- January 11, 2021: Introduced, referred to Ways and Means
- January 12, 2021: Subcommittee: Dawson, Dotzler, and Goodwin
- Senate File 124: A bill for an act exempting homestead property owned by certain elderly persons from specified school property tax levies and including applicability provisions
- January 21, 2021: Introduced, referred to Ways and Means
- January 26, 2021: Subcommittee: Dawson, Dotzler, and Goodwin
- House File 619: A bill for an act relating to the extraordinary homestead property tax credit and reimbursement for rent constituting property taxes paid for certain elderly claimants and including effective date and applicability provisions.
Ron Jome
Secretary, Board of Directors, Older Iowans Legislature