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.
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Report from the Older Iowans Legislature Friday March 17, 2023
Members and friends of the Older Iowans Legislature,
The Older Iowans Legislature, during its annual meeting on Monday September 26, 2022, identified four (4) Priority Issues for submission to the 2023 session of the Iowan General Assembly, under the very general titles of:
- Enacting a dementia specialist program
- Improving guardianship and conservatorship system
- Senate File 295 in Iowa General Assembly
- House File 650 in Iowa General Assembly
- Funding Iowa Return to Community from the lottery
- Improving nursing home care
As of Friday March 17, the Older Iowans Legislature is not aware of Files/Study Bills relating to dementia specialist, Iowa Return to Community, or improving nursing home care.
The OIL Secretary’s (Ron Jome) Observation Box:
- Improving nursing home care was, in my opinion, a major focus of the Older Iowans Legislature session on Monday September 26, 2022, BUT, in my opinion, improving nursing home care has been difficult for the Older Iowans Legislature to advocate in the 2023 session of the Iowa General Assembly.
- On Monday September 26, 2022, several OIL delegates campaigned strongly for measures to improve nursing home care, the OIL session heard several reports of inadequate care for nursing home residents, and the OIL delegates as a whole voted to make improving nursing home care an OIL Priority Issue for 2022. Improving nursing home care WAS a Priority Issue of the 2022 Older Iowans Legislature!
- Advocating improving nursing home care to the 2023 session of the Iowa General Assembly seemed difficult to identify:
- More money to train more nursing facility nurses and nurse aides?
- More money to hire more inspection staff at Inspections and Appeals?
- More supervision of employment agencies providing nurses and nurse aides to nursing facilities?
- Keeping sex offenders out of nursing facilities?
- Stricter visitation policies at nursing facilities?
- Advocating for apprenticeship programs that would include training nurses and nurse aides for nursing facilities?
- As of Friday, March 17, 2023, the Older Iowans Legislature has had minimum success in advocating for improving nursing home care in the 2023 session of the Iowa General Assembly.
- The Older Iowans Legislature continues to be committed to advocating for improving nursing home care.
The Older Iowans Legislature is supporting one bill in the 2023 Iowa General Assembly related to OIL Priority Issues, namely:
- Senate File 295: A bill for an act concerning the creation, administration, and termination of adult and minor guardianships and conservatorships.
- First Funnel on March 3: Judiciary Committee PASSED Senate File 295
- March 6, 2023: Passed Senate, yeas 47, nays 0
- March 7, 2023: Message from Senate
- March 7, 2023: Introduced, referred to Judiciary
- March 9, 2023: Subcommittee: Gustoff, Scheetz, and Thomson
Subjects of other Files in the 2023 Iowa General Assembly of interest to the Older Iowans Legislature include:
- Reducing the number of state departments/agencies
- Establishing an office of apprenticeship
- Healthcare employment agencies
- Property tax credits for certain elderly persons
- Sex offenders in nursing homes
- Visitation policies in hospitals and nursing facilities
- Community-based services waivers
- Noneconomic damage awards against health care providers
GUARDIANSHIPS AND CONSERVATORSHIPS
- Senate File 295 by COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY: A bill for an act concerning the creation, administration, and termination of adult and minor guardianships and conservatorships. (Formerly Senate Study Bill 1146)
- “This bill concerns the creation, administration, and termination of adult and minor guardianships and conservatorships
- The OIL Board of Directors supports Senate File 295
- February 15, 2023: Introduced, placed on calendar
- February 15, 2023: Committee report, approving bill
- March 6, 2023: Passed Senate, yeas 47, nays 0
- Immediate message
- March 7, 2023: Message from Senate
- March 7, 2023: Introduced, referred to Judiciary
- March 9, 2023: Subcommittee: Gustoff, Scheetz, and Thomson
- House File 650 by COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY: A bill for an act relating to the creation, administration, and termination of adult and minor guardianships and conservatorships. (Successor to House Study Bill 109)
- “This bill relates to the creation, administration, and termination of adult and minor guardianships and conservatorships.”
- The OIL Board of Directors OPPOSES House File 650
- March 7, 2023: Introduced, placed on calendar
IOWA OFFICE OF APPRENTICESHIP AND IOWA APPRENTICESHIP COUNCIL
- Senate File 318 by COMMITTEE ON WORKFORCE: A bill for an act relating to apprenticeships and establishing an Iowa office of apprenticeship and Iowa apprenticeship council. (Formerly Senate Study Bill 1086)
- “This bill shall be known and may be cited as the Iowa registered apprenticeship Act.
- February 16, 2023: Introduced, placed on calendar
- February 16, 2023: Committee report, approving bill
- March 15, 2023: Amendment S-3081 filed, adopted
- March 15, 2023: Passed Senate, yeas 35, nays 13
- March 15, 2023: Immediate message
- March 15, 2023: Message from Senate
- March 15, 2023: Read first time, passed on file
- House File 639 by COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC GROWTH AND TECHNOLOGY: A bill for an act relating to apprenticeships and establishing an Iowa office of apprenticeship and Iowa apprenticeship council. (Formerly House Study Bill 82)
- “This bill shall be known and may be called as the Iowa registered apprentice Act.”
- March 6, 2023: Introduced, placed on calendar
EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES
- Senate File 327 by COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: A bill for an act relating to health care employment agencies, health care employment agency workers, and health care entities, providing for the use of annual registration fees, and including retroactive applicability provisions. (Formerly Senate Study Bill 1044)
- “The bill amends the current Code chapter so that the chapter is only applicable to health care employment agencies and agency workers who provide nursing services as defined in the bill.”
- February 20, 2023: Introduced, placed on calendar
- February 20, 2023: Committee report, approving bill
- March 7, 2023: Attached to House File 357
- House File 357 by COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: A bill for an act relating to health care employment agencies, health care employment agency workers, and health care entities, providing for the use of annual registration fees, and including retroactive applicability provisions. (Successor to House Study Bill 24)
- “The bill amends the current Code chapter so that the chapter is only applicable to health care employment agencies and agency workers who provide nursing services as defined in the bill.”
- February 20, 2023: Introduced, placed on calendar
- March 7, 2023: Passed House, yeas 94, nays 4
- March 7, 2023: Immediate message
- March 7, 2023; Message from House
- March 7, 2023; Read first time, attached to Senate File 327
PROPERTY TAX CREDITS FOR CERTAIN ELDERLY PERSONS
- Senate File 215 by COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT: A bill for an act relating to certain elderly, disabled, and low-income persons and including effective date and applicability provisions. (Formerly Senate Study Bill 1088).
- “This bill extends that potential extension period to March 31 of the fiscal year during which the property taxes are due.”
- February 6, 2023: Committee report, approving bill
- February 6, 2023: Introduced, placed on calendar
- February 9, 2023: Referred to Ways and Means
- February 15, 223: Subcommittee: Rowley, Dawson, and Winckler
- House File 318 by COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT: A bill for an act relating to certain filing deadlines for property tax credits available to certain elderly, disabled, and low-income persons and credits for manufactured or mobile home taxes and including effective date and applicability provisions. (Formerly House Study Bill 93)
- “The bill makes a similar change to provisions governing claims for the manufactured or mobile home tax credit under Code chapter 435, modifies dates relating to the authority to grant additional time to file such a claim under certain circumstances, and modifies the date by which the department of revenue shall pay each county under Code chapter 435.”
- February 15, 2023: Introduced, placed on calendar
- March 7, 2023: Passed House, yeas 98, nays 0
- March 7, 2023: Immediate message
- March 7, 2023: Read first time, passed on file
- March 8, 2023: Referred to Ways and Means
- March 16, 2023: Subcommittee: Rowley, Dawson, and T. Taylor
SEX OFFENDERS IN NURSING FACILITIES
- House File 451 by COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: An act for a bill relating to Medicaid reimbursement for services to individuals who meet the nursing home level of care and are required to register as sex offenders. (Formerly House File 235)
- “This bill requires the department of health and human services to implement a Medicaid reimbursement methodology for services provided to individuals who meet nursing facility level of care requirements and are required to register as sex offenders.”
- February 27, 2023: Introduced, referred to Appropriations.
- March 9, 2023: Subcommittee: Young, Brown-Peters, Ehlert, Fry and Meyer, A
- March 16, 2023: Subcommittee recommends passage
VISITATION POLICIES IN HOSPITALS AND NURSING FACILITIES
- Senate File 537 by COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: A bill for an act relating to visitation policies in hospitals and nursing facilities. (Formerly Senate Study Bill 1196)
- “This bill requires that as a condition of licensure for a hospital or nursing facility, a hospital or nursing facility shall not institute a policy that limits a patient’s or resident’s ability to receive visitors designated by the patient during an inpatient hospital stay or designated by the resident, regardless of the patient’s or resident’s diagnosis.”
- March 6,2023: Introduce, placed on calendar
- March 6, 2023: Committee report, approving bill
- House File 619 by COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: A bill for an act relating to visitation policies in hospitals and nursing facilities. (Formerly House Study Bill 215)
- “This bill requires that as a condition of licensure for a hospital or nursing facility, a hospital or nursing facility shall not institute a policy that limits a patient’s or resident’s ability to receive visitors designated by the patient during an inpatient hospital stay or designated by the resident, regardless of the patient’s or resident’s diagnosis.”
- March 3, 2023: Introduced, placed on calendar
NONECONOMIC DAMAGE AWARDS AGAINST HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
- House File 161 by COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: A bill for an act relating to noneconomic damage awards against health care providers, and including effective date and applicability provisions. (Formerly House 102)
- “The bill limits the amount of noneconomic damages that a jury can award a plaintiff if there is a substantial or permanent loss or impairment of a bodily function, substantial disfigurement, loss of pregnancy, or death to $1 million.”
- January 30, 2023: Introduced, placed on calendar
- January 30, 2023: Amendment H-1002 filed
- January 31, 2023: Amendment H-1003 filed
- February 1, 2023: Amendment H-1004 filed
- February 2, 2023: Amendment H-1007 filed
- February 7, 2023: Fiscal note
- February 7, 2023: Amendment H-1013 filed
- February 7, 2023: Amendment H-1014 filed
- February 7, 2023: Amendment H-1015 filed
- February 8, 2023: Amendment H-1017 filed
- February 8, 2023: Passed House, yeas 53, nays 45
- February 8, 2023: Immediate message
- February 8, 2023: Message from House
- February 8, 2023: Attached to Senate file 148
- February 8, 2023: Passed Senate, yeas 29, nays 20
- February 8, 2023: Immediate message
- February 9, 2023: Message from Senate
- February 15, 2023: Reported correctly enrolled, signed by Speaker and President, and sent to Governor
- February 16, 2023: Signed by Governor
ORGANIZATION, STRUCTURE, AND FUNCTIONS OF STATE GOVERNMENT
- Senate File 514 by COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT: A bill for an act relating to the organization, structure, and functions of state government, providing for salaries of appointed state officers, providing for confirmation of appointments, providing for penalties, making appropriations, providing Code editor directives and transition provisions, and including applicability and effective date provisions. (Formerly Senate Study Bill 1123)
- March 2, 2023: Introduced, placed on calendar
- March 2, 2023: Committee report, approving bill
- March 7, 2023: Passed Senate, yeas 34, nays 15
- March 7, 2023: Immediate message
- March 13, 2023: Message from Senate
- March 13, 2023: Read first time, passed on file
- March 15, 2023: Fiscal note
- March 15, 2023: Substituted for House File 662
- March 15, 2023: Passed House, yeas 58, nays 39
- March 15, 2023: Immediate message
- March 16, 2023: Message from House
- House File 662 by COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT: A bill for an act relating to the organization, structure, and functions of state government, providing for salaries of appointed state officers, providing for penalties, making appropriations, providing Code editor directives and transition provisions, and including applicability and effective date provisions. (Formerly House Study Bill 126)
- March 9, 2023: Introduced, placed on calendar
- March 14, 2023: Referred to Appropriations
- March 14, 2023: Subcommittee: Young, Collins and Zabner
- March 14, 2023: Subcommittee recommends passage
- March 14, 2023: Placed on Appropriations calendar
- March 15, 2023: Fiscal note
- March 15, 2023: Senate File 514 substituted
- March 15, 2023: Withdrawn
MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT POLICIES
- House File 462 by COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE: A bill for an act relating to Medicare supplement policies and an annual open enrollment period. (Formerly House File 228)
- “This bill relates to Medicare supplement policies and an annual open enrollment period.”
- February 27, 2024: Introduced, placed on calendar
- March 16, 2-23: Amendment H-1133 filed
UNFAIR RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE SERVICE AGREEMENTS
- House File 475 by COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE: A bill for an act relating to unfair residential real estate service agreements, providing penalties, and making penalties applicable. (Formerly House Study Bill 175)
- “This bill relates to unfair residential real estate service ageements (agreement).”
- February 27, 2023: Introduced, placed on calendar
- March 1, 2023: Amendment H-1028 filed
- March 3,2023: Fiscal note
- March 7, 2023: Passed House, yeas 98, nays 0
- March 7, 2023: Immediate message
- March 7, 2023: Message from House
- March 7, 2023: Read first time, attached to Senate File 417
- Senate File 417 by COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE: A bill for an act relating to unfair residential real estate service agreements, providing penalties, and making penalties applicable. (Formerly Senate Study Bill 1156)
- “This bill relates to unfair residential real estate service agreements (agreement).
- February 27, 2023: Introduced, placed on calendar
- February 27, 2023: Committee report, approving bill
- March 1, 2023: Fiscal note
- March 7, 2023: Attached to House File 475
COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES WAIVER
- House File 633 by COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT: A bill for an act relating to prohibitions against a person acting as a provider or as an employee, contractor, or subcontractor of a provider of home and community-based services waiver services under the Medicaid program. (Successor to House File 504)
- “This bill relates to home and community-based services waiver providers, employees, and contractors relative to the results of criminal and child or dependent adult abuse (abuse).
- March 6, 2023: Introduced, placed on calendar
- House File 275 by COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: A bill for an act relating to the maximum annual services caps for specified services under certain Medicaid home and community-based services waivers. (Formerly House File 74)
- “This bill requires the department of health and human services to eliminate the lifetime maximum cap and instead establish and maintain a home and vehicle modification services annual maximum cap per waiver member year for the Medicaid intellectual disability home and community-based services waiver to reflect the same amount as that for the home and vehicle modifications services annual maximum cap for the Medicaid brain injury HCBS waiver.”
- February 13, 2023: Introduced, placed on calendar
- February 16, 2023: Fiscal note
Ron Jome, Secretary, Board of Directors, Older Iowans Legislature