2001 Session Proposals

Summary of Proposals of CSL 2001 Session

The purpose of the CSL is to develop proposals for legislation at both the state and federal levels. At its Annual Session the CSL holds hearings on the proposals that have been submitted by its members to determine which of those proposals should be carried forward. Finally, the proposals to be carried forward are prioritized to select the top ten state proposals and top four federal proposals.

The priority results for the 2001 session are provided here. Within group the proposals are listed in order of proposal number.

Summary of the Top Ten State Legislative Proposals

AP – Senior Assembly Proposal         SP – Senior Senate Proposal
AB – California Assembly Bill         SB – California Senate Bill

 

AP-7 Senior Assembly Member Marvin Goldman: Senior Housing Requirements.

This proposal requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to recognize the construction of senior congregate housing as an expansion of the housing stock of the State and accept the construction of senior congregate housing as fulfilling a city or county’s fair share.

AB 1829 Pacheco, R. Local Planning: housing elements: Failed passage.

AP-21 Senior Assembly Member Jack Trystman: Prescription Drug Discount Sunset.

This proposal extends the sunset date for the discount prescription program which allows Medicare beneficiaries to obtain drugs at Medi-Cal rates.

SB 1278 Speier Pharmacies: prescription benefits: Medicare beneficiaries: Chapter 542, 2002.

AP-24 Senior Assembly Member Diana Kelly: Senior Housing Property Tax Freeze.

This proposal encourages local agencies to promulgate the building of affordable, low- income housing by freezing property taxes on distressed property that is transformed into affordable, low-income housing.

AP-26 Senior Assembly Member Kenneth Barden: Availability of Automated External Defibrillators.

This proposal requires long-term care facilities, senior centers and bingo parlors to purchase and train personnel in the use of, automated external defibrillators.

AP-30 Senior Assembly Member Mildred Johnstone: Dental Care for Seniors.

This proposal requires the Department of Aging to conduct a study to determine if barriers to dental services exist for seniors in nursing homes or are homebound, and increases the Medi-Cal dental service reimbursement rate to 80 percent.

AP-34 Senior Assembly Member Ric Rickles: Affordable Housing Funding.

This proposal proposes an additional three billion dollar appropriation for the next fiscal year to be used to develop new affordable housing units.

AP-37 Senior Assembly Member Harry J. Moore: Commission on Aging Funding.

This proposal requires the provision, pursuant to an on-going budget line item, of matching funds for the funds provided by the Federal Older Americans Act for the California Commission on Aging.

SP-42 Senior Senator Richard H. Griswold: Increased Property Tax Exemption for Seniors.

This proposal increases the homeowner’s property tax exemption for seniors from $7,000 to $17,000.

AB 1844 Mountjoy Property taxation: Failed passage.

SP-52 Senior Senator Richard Lundin: Funding for Veterans’ Homes Improvements.

This proposal authorizes the state to issue bonds to finance improvements to state veterans’ homes.

AB 2953 Wiggins Veterans’ homes: renovation: Chapter 218, 2002.

SB 1773 Chesbro Veterans’ homes: renovation: Chapter 219, 2002.

SP-54 Senior Senator Joanna K. Selby: Hotel Accessibility for the Disabled.

This proposal requires that all motels and hotels comply with ADA accessibility guidelines and requires them to install grab bars in all tub and shower areas.

 

Summary of Top Four Federal Proposals

AFP – Senior Assembly Federal Proposal        SFP – Senior Senate Federal Proposal

 

AFP-1 Senior Assembly Member Charles Lee: Telemarketing Fraud Offenses.

This proposal establishes increased statutory criminal penalties for telemarketing fraud offenses, defines jurisdictions and cooperative efforts, and provides rewards.

AFP-4 Senior Assembly Member Jack Trystman: Retired Teacher’s Social Security.

This proposal eliminates the discriminatory practice of “Offset Injustice” and ensures that all Social Security contributions made by a person are available at retirement.

AFP-5 Senior Assembly Member Marnelle White: Tax Deduction for Long-Term Care Insurance.

This proposal makes long-term care insurance premiums fully deductible regardless of income, medical expenses or age of the covered individual.

SFP-14 Senior Senator Jim Levy: Dental, Vision, and Hearing Medicare Benefits.

This proposal expands Medicare coverage to include routine dental, vision, and hearing examinations and treatments.

 

Summary of Additional State Legislative Proposals

These additional CSL proposals were authored as indicated.
AP – Senior Assembly Proposal        SP – Senior Senate Proposal
AB – California Assembly Bill        SB – California Senate Bill

AP-20 Senior Assembly Member Vernon Jones: Base Line Utility Usage Increase for Seniors.

AB 2663 Wyman Gas & electricity: baseline quantities and rates: Failed passage.

AP-29 Senior Assembly Member Jerome Catlin: Mobile Home Space Rental Classification.

AB 1771 Strickland Medi-Cal: income eligibility mobile homes: Failed passage.

AP-30 (2001) Senior Assembly Member Helen Karr: Area Agencies on Aging.

This proposal includes banks, savings and loan, or credit union officers, trustees, or employees as mandated reporters of elder or dependent adult abuse.

AB 109 Alquist Elder & dependent adult abuse: Failed passage.

SP-47 Senior Senator Joe Murphy: California State University Geriatric Medicine & Gerontology Training.

AB 2202 Alquist Gerontology: service delivery personnel: training: Chapter 551, 2002.

SP-55 Senior Senator Roland Boucher: Senior Income Tax Returns.

SB 831 Poochigian & Johnson Income tax forms: Failed passage.

SP-60 Senior Senator Richard H. Griswold: In-Home Caregiver Training, Certification and Registry.

AB 1837 Strickland In-home caregiver training: Failed passage.

SP-61 Senior Senator Robert O. Jaffee: Prostate Cancer Treatment Disclosure.

AB 2459 Diaz Physicians and surgeons: prostate cancer: Chapter 531, 2002.

SP-79 (2000) Senior Senator Marion Faustman: Area Agencies on Aging.

This proposal seeks legislation to authorize the State, in the event of a delayed budget, to borrow funds, as specified, from the General Fund or other sources in the amount necessary to pay the Area Agencies on Aging the moneys due them in order to continue to provide necessary services to seniors and disabled adults.

AB 2552 Daucher Area Agencies on Aging: funding: Failed passage.

(Emergency) Senior Senator Milton Very

SB 1082 Vasconcellos Income taxes: designations: senior citizens: Failed passage.