911 BILL INTRODUCED, ADVANCED BY HOUSE PANEL

CCAP's top priority, 911 system reform and funding, was advanced by the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee on April 15, marking an important step in the legislative process as counties face the June 30 sunset of the wireless fee.

House Bill 911, sponsored by committee chair Rep.

Steve Barrar (R-Delaware), represents nearly two years of work between CCAP, PEMA, the General Assembly, communications providers and 911 professionals to develop a comprehensive rewrite of the Public Safety Emergency Telephone Act of 1990. The legislation contains key elements of the work group's discussions - it is technology-neutral, consolidates planning, funding and administrative silos, removes barriers to administrative efficiency, provides incentives for cooperative service provision and other capital and operating efficiencies, and contains a fee structure that is centrally based and formula driven. In these respects, HB 911 meets the objectives of the counties' priority, with the exception of the rate for the 911 subscriber fee. Current fees are $1.00 to $1.50 per month for wireline, and set at $1.00 per month for wireless and VoIP; counties are seeking an increase to a uniform $2.00 per month per subscriber, while the bill has been introduced at a rate of $1.65.

Two technical amendments were adopted during the committee meeting, including one authored by Rep. Barrar to clarify that the 911 surcharge is applicable to pre- and post-paid wireless devices and another authored by Democratic chair Rep. Chris Sainato (D-Lawrence) to increase the amount retailers may keep for administrative purposes for collecting and remitting the post-paid/pre-paid surcharge from one percent to 1.5 percent.

Rep. Peter Schweyer (D-Lehigh) also offered two amendments regarding Allentown and Bethlehem, one to reinstate the cities to operate as recognized public safety answering points (PSAPs) and one to allow the two PSAPs to have the same status throughout the bill as county PSAPs. Both amendments failed on a party line vote, with Democratic members voting in favor and Republican members against. Additional amendments were sponsored by Rep. Bill Kortz (D-Allegheny) to maintain the current fee structure but allow counties to implement a local 911 charge, and to establish an additional monthly surcharge of $1.25 on broadband services provided in a county to be remitted to the county. Those amendments failed by a 3-23 and 4-21 vote, respectively.

PACAH DISCUSSES COUNTY NURSING HOMES WITH HOUSE COMMITTEE

The House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee, chaired by Rep. Tim Hennessey (R-Chester) and Rep. Steve Samuelson (D-Northampton), recently held an informational meeting on the importance of county nursing facilities and issues facing county homes.

Kelly Andrisano, executive director of PACAH, the CCAP affiliate that exclusively represents the state's 24 county-owned nursing homes, as well as Pennsylvania's veterans homes and 120 other long-term care facilities and businesses, provided the committee with an overview of county nursing facilities. Andrisano explained that county homes serve a unique population and are the only facilities required to take day one Medicaid patients. Because of that requirement, the average Medicaid occupancy rate of county homes is 80 percent, but the reimbursement rates fall far below the actual costs of providing care. With Medicaid reimbursements not increasing at the same level as the cost of providing care, counties have been selling their homes at an increased rate over the past several years. PACAH recently received the results of an independent study analyzing the cost to Pennsylvania in terms of Medicaid rate increases when a county home privatizes. Andrisano explained the study found that there would be an increased cost to the commonwealth of approximately $29.4 million if every county nursing facility were to privatize in just one year, and does not include the loss of federal Certified Public Expenditure dollars that public nursing homes can draw down. The full report is available on PACAH's website.

PACAH member Kim Cobaugh, administrator for the Communities at Indian Haven in Indiana County, shared that at her facility, care is provided to those uninsured or underinsured without hesitation. She also highlighted that the home's dementia care unit always has a waiting list, which will only continue to grow as the elderly population increases. Jim Shadduck, nursing home administrator for Bradford County Manor and PACAH Board President, discussed how county-owned facilities are reimbursed at much lower Medicaid rates than private facilities although they often provide the same level of care to a larger population of eligible individuals.

LONG-TERM CARE COUNCIL BILL PASSES HOUSE  

The House of Representatives has approved legislation to create a Long-Term Care Council within the Department of Aging to advise on regulations, financing and licensing of long-term care services and supports.

House Bill 753, introduced by Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver (R-Snyder), would establish a 29-member Council, including a CCAP representative and an individual representing the Area Agencies on Aging as well as state agencies, providers, consumers and other stakeholders. Subcommittees of the Council, which may include members not on the Council, would develop reports on regulatory review and access to quality care, community access and public education, long-term care services models and delivery, work force, housing and behavioral health issues of senior citizens.

BILLS TO FUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING MOVE FORWARD 

Two companion bills that would expand and provide additional revenues for the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) Fund have gained traction in both the House and the Senate. House Bill 792, sponsored by Rep. Tom Killion (R-Delaware), was unanimously reported from the House Urban Affairs Committee on April 13, while the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee unanimously reported SB 566, sponsored by Sen. Elder Vogel (R-Beaver), on April 15.

SENATE ADVANCES BLIGHT PACKAGE 

On April 15, the Senate Urban Affairs Committee took action on legislation designed to provide counties with additional tools to address blight.

Sen. David Argall (R-Schuylkill) sponsored SB 486 to allow counties to add an additional fee of up to $15 on the recording of each deed or mortgage, with the funds to be used exclusively for demolition of blighted property. The committee unanimously reported the bill with a technical amendment offered by committee chair Sen. Scott Wagner (R-York).