Legislative Bills Get Public Hearings, Sent to Committee

Last month, I published a post with a list of bills introduced in the 81st Legislative Session that impact providers. Some of these bills have been scheduled for public hearings and referred to committees. Click on the links to find out the present status of the bills:

HB 5 – Relating to the elimination of smoking in all workplaces and public places; providing penalties.

HB 67 – Relating to a medical assistance buy-in program for children with certain developmental disabilities.

HB 87 – Relating to increasing the amount of the residence homestead exemption from ad valorem taxation by a school district to $45,000, providing for a reduction of the limitation on the total amount of ad valorem taxes that may be imposed by a school district on the homesteads of the elderly or disabled to reflect the increased exemption amount, and protecting school districts against the resulting loss in local revenue.

HB 158 – Relating to the personal needs allowance for certain Medicaid recipients who are residents of long-term care facilities.

HB 216 – Relating to licensing and regulation of certain facilities providing personal care to elderly or disabled persons; providing penalties.

HB 242 – Relating to a personal identification device provided to residents of certain institutions and assisted living facilities.

HB 344 – Relating to reimbursement under the state Medicaid program for health care services associated with certain adverse events.

HB 345 – Relating to a business’s duty to protect sensitive personal information contained in its customer records.

HB 451 – Relating to health benefit plan coverage for autism spectrum disorder.

HB 497 – Relating to a study to determine the effect on the health care infrastructure in this state if the state Medicaid program is abolished or a severe reduction in federal matching money under the program occurs.

SB 25 – Relating to the duration of the interagency task force on ensuring appropriate care settings for persons with disabilities.

SB 35 – Relating to mortality review for certain individuals who are developmentally disabled.

SB 40 – Relating to surveys of certain premises at which home and community-based services providers provide services. (Requires annual survey of all HCS residential and foster care)

SB 69 – Relating to child protective services.

SB 70 – Relating to the investigation of abuse, neglect, or exploitation in an intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded.

SB 87 – Relating to adverse licensing, listing, or registration decisions by certain health and human services agencies.

SB 277 – Relating to the Department of Family and Protective Services, including protective services and investigations of alleged abuse, neglect, or exploitation for certain adults who are elderly or disabled; providing a criminal penalty. (Enforcement and sanction policies)

SB 302 – Relating to the implementation of an in-home caregiver demonstration project under the Medicaid program.

SB 336 – Relating to closing state schools.

SB 345 – Relating to screening health care personnel of home and community support services agencies for tuberculosis.

SB 349 – Relating to the period of continuous eligibility for the medical assistance program.