Advocacy Efforts From CA to VA
It’s a busy time for state-level advocacy efforts for assisted living. All 50 legislatures are in session, and in the first two months of the year 677 bills related to assisted living were introduced. During that time, many efforts have focused on fending off bills that would reduce resident rights or impact consumers’ ability to have resident-centered care. In addition to being reactive, however, many state affiliates and chapters are championing legislation to improve residents’ lives. They are working to implement adequate criminal background checks for employees, drafting adequate elder abuse measures, and supporting a range of bills that would prohibit smoking in all businesses, including assisted living communities, among various other efforts.
Here’s a look at several of the advocacy efforts going on right now at the state level.
Texas
Assisted living advocates in Texas have introduced a resolution opposing the so-called Employee Free Choice Act, which would take away a worker’s right to a federally supervised ballot when deciding whether or not to join a union. The Texas Assisted Living Association (TALA) also is working with the legislature to ensure providers are able to open communities in as timely a way as possible. In a state faced with a shortage of inspectors, the proposed regulations would allow provisional licenses for providers who are compliant with resident care standards.
The inspector shortage in Texas is a challenge for providers there. Providers want to open buildings on time to ensure residents can move in when they choose. However, residents also need to be assured of timely license renewals to guarantee continued access to long-term care insurance. (Insurance carriers need to receive valid licenses from providers.)
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