PAAAA Committees

Area Agencies on Aging have adopted policy positions about important issues affecting the delivery of service to Pennsylvania's older citizens. Among them are Administration of Aging Services, Gambling, Mental Health, Prescription Drugs, Senior Centers, Transportation, and the Role of AAA's, within the system. Click on the underlined item to read the complete policy statements.

A full list of Legislative Bills on our watch list may be obtained from the members area.

HB 309, PN 1195 By Johnson (D) Amends the Older Adults Protective Services Act further defining “facility” to include an assisted living residence and adding definitions for “chronic dementia” and “cognitive impairment”. The legislation provides for disclosures to facility residents and prospective residents along with other appropriate parties in instances in which a physician holds a financial or ownership interest and is the attending or primary care physician for a resident or prospective resident of the facility. Also provides the facility resident or prospective resident or a family member or legal representative of the resident/prospective resident may choose the physician making the disclosure or an independent physician to be the primary care provider. (Prior Printer Number: 333)

HB 56, PN 1194 By Smith, K (D) Amends the Older Adults Protective Services Act further defining “facility” to include an assisted living residence. The bill further provides for reporting by employees by requiring reports of neglect in those instances in which neglect rises to the level where serious physical injury or the threat to life and safety will result. Also provides the local provider of protective services must include information in its written report to the Department of Aging which indicates where the suspected neglect occurred. (Prior Printer Number: 39)

HB 821, PN 1277 By Boback (R) The Long-Term Care Consumer Relocation Coordination Act requires certain long-term care facilities to coordinate with licensing agencies and local area agencies on aging to provide assistance to consumers in circumstances involving relocation of consumers. PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 928, 1276

HB 245, PN 255 By Mundy (D) Amends the Family Caregiver Support Act removing the definitions of “adult”, “chronic dementia” and “relative”; adding definitions of “adult with chronic dementia” and “care recipient”; and expanding the definition of “primary caregiver”. The bill also increases the maximum amount available to a qualified primary caregiver whose care receivers’ household incomes exceed 200% of the federal poverty guideline for out-of-pocket expenses from $200 per month to $500 per month and for the entire duration of the case, for expenses for home modifications or assistive devices from $2,000 to $6,000.

HR 118, PN 114 By Petri (R) A Resolution directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a performance audit of the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging and to report back to the General Assembly with their findings and recommendations

HR 129, PN 903 By Causer (R) A Resolution directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study of the Pennsylvania Lottery relating to its ability to continue to support programs and services for older Pennsylvanians.

HB 311, PN 335 By Gingerich (R) An Act providing for the training and certification of qualified assessors of individuals needing long-term care services, for the powers and duties of the Department of Aging and for report to General Assembly

HB 1152, PN 1366 By Mundy (D) Creates the Department of Aging and Long Term Living

HR 107, PN 740 By Hennessey (R), Require an analysis of the impact of expanding the powers and duties of the new department.

SB 641, PN 696 By Vance (R) Amends the Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Act adding licensed human services professionals to its scope. The bill further provides for legislative intent, defines “licensed human services professional” and “practice of licensed human services”, provides for licensure of human services professionals, increases the composition of the board to 15 members, provides for the licensing agency and its functions, for licensure qualifications and procedure, for exemptions, for reciprocity and for license reinstatement; provides for restrictions on use of title “Licensed Human Services Professional”; and further proscribes unlawful practice.

Mar 19, 2009 - S-Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Consumer Protection & Prof. Licensure

HB 288, PN 308 By Murphy (D) An Act amending the act of November 6, 1987 (P.L.381, No.79), known as the Older Adults Protective Services Act, further providing for the definition of "exploitation

HB 371, PN 1275 By Staback (D) Amends the Public Welfare Code, in general powers and duties of Department of Public Welfare, providing for onsite complaint investigations and plans of correction at personal care homes and assisted living residences. (Prior Printer Number: 389) - The bill was unanimously reported as committed.

HB 372, PN 390 By Staback (D) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act, in licensing of health care facilities, further providing for definitions and requiring the department to initiate investigations of complaints at long-term care nursing facilities within 24 hours if the complaint is a priority compliant or within 48 hours if the complaint is a general complaint.

HB 644, PN 706 By Deluca (D) An Act amending the act of November 6, 1987 (P.L.381, No.79), known as the Older Adults Protective Services Act, further providing for legislative policy; further defining "employee"; further providing for involuntary intervention by emergency court order, for grounds for denying employment and for applicability relating to criminal history for employees.

HB 1185, PN 1413 By Josephs (D) The Adult Protective Services Act outlines provisions for adult protective services; provides for protection of abused, neglected, exploited or abandoned adults; establishes a uniform statewide reporting and investigative system for suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation or abandonment of adults; provides for protective services; prescribes penalties; and requires the Department of Aging to annually report to the Senate Aging and Youth Committee and House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee.

Apr 3, 2009 - H-Introduced and referred to committee on House Aging and Older Adult Services

SB 651, PN 713 By Vance (R) An Act amending the act of November 6, 1987 (P.L.381, No.79), known as the Older Adults Protective Services Act, further providing for legislative policy, for definitions, for involuntary intervention by emergency court order, for information relating to prospective facility personnel and for grounds for denying employment; providing for certificate of employability; further providing for provisional employees for limited periods; providing for requirements concerning employees, for comparison study by Department of Aging and for applicability relating to criminal history for employees.

SB 699, PN 802 By Vance (R) An Act providing for protection of abused, neglected, exploited or abandoned adults; establishing a uniform Statewide reporting and investigative system for suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation or abandonment of adults; providing for protective services; and prescribing penalties.

SB 599, PN 649 By Yaw (R) Amends the Housing Finance Agency Law providing for the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Program, funded by appropriations by the General Assembly for the purposes stated in this article or other sources as provided by law. The bill states funds appropriated to the program shall not supplant existing resources dedicated to affordable housing activities. Funds appropriated to the program may be used to support, expand and enhance other programs administered by the agency. Additionally, the agency shall make available 30% of the funds appropriated under this article for housing programs benefiting households with household incomes which are less than 50% of the median area income. The bill provides for the establishment in the State Treasury a restricted receipt account to hold funding for the program.

HB 826, PN 933 By Baker (R) An Act amending the act of December 19, 1990 (P.L.1234, No.204), known as the Family Caregiver Support Act, further providing for reimbursements

HB 122, PN 118 By Casorio (D) An Act establishing the Senior Alert System; and providing for duties of the Pennsylvania State Police.

HB 269, PN 288 By Watson (R) An Act providing for a Statewide adult day resource and referral system; establishing a central adult day services database; and imposing additional responsibilities upon the Department of Aging.

HB 312, PN 1196 By Gingrich (R) The Long-Term Care Consumer Notification Act requires long-term care facilities and home and community-based providers to post certain information relating to licensure, notices of enforcement and where to find information relating to the licensing agency. Additionally, long-term care providers must maintain for each consumer a current record of the name, address and telephone number of the consumer’s designated person, which must be provided upon request to the Commonwealth agency responsible for oversight of the provider. Whenever a long-term care provider receives a notice of enforcement action and a summary of such action from the Commonwealth, the summary would be transmitted to the consumer’s designated person within seven days, where feasible. (Prior Printer Number: 336)

HB 313, PN 337 By Gingerich (R) An Act providing for the powers and duties of the Department of Aging and area agencies on aging and for annual review of care plans; requiring criminal background checks and communicable disease screenings of certain providers; prohibiting certain provider financial interests; providing for consumer telephone access; and providing for procedures for noncompliance.

HB 726, PN 812 By Youngblood (D) An Act relating to a silver alert program for missing senior citizens

HB 857, PN 970 By Reichley (R) An Act authorizing counties to establish county ombudsmen for senior housing; and providing for the powers and duties of ombudsmen and of senior housing residents

HB 1193, PN 1421 By Swanger (R) Amends the Right-to-Know Law further excluding from public records the home address of an agency employee.

Apr 3, 2009 - H-Introduced and referred to committee on House State Government

HB 1208, PN 1435 By Marsico (R) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act requiring that a long-term care nursing facility that provides care for consumers diagnosed with dementia shall disclose to consumers and their legal representatives and provide a written statement that includes certain information pertaining to the facility.

Apr 3, 2009 - H-Introduced and referred to committee on House Aging and Older Adult Services

HB 1084, PN 1266 By Waters (D) The Electronic Monitoring in Nursing Homes Act states that a nursing home, personal care home or assisted living facility should make reasonable physical accommodation for electronic monitoring by providing a reasonably secure place to mount the electronic monitoring device and access to power sources. The bill states that a nursing home, personal care home or assisted living facility would inform a resident of the nursing home, personal care home or assisted living facility or the legal representative of the resident of the resident’s right to electronic monitoring. A tape created through the use of electronic monitoring would be admissible in either a civil or criminal action brought in a court of this Commonwealth.

Mar 24, 2009 - H-Introduced and referred to committee on House Aging and Older Adult Services

SB 575, PN 604 By Vance (R) The Long-Term Care Consumer Protection Act requires facilities to display all of the following in a public and conspicuous location where they may easily be observed and read: (1) the license permitting operation of the facility; (2) all reports of inspections issued during the preceding year; and (3) notices of any enforcement actions currently being undertaken against the facility. Facilities would also be required to maintain for each resident, where applicable, a current record of the name, address and telephone number of the resident’s representative or representatives, which would be provided upon request to the applicable department.

Mar 5, 2009 - S-Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Public Health and Welfare