SF 2362 (LSB 5927XS (7) 91)

SENATE FILE 2362

BY  WEINER

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing a long-term care workforce solutions interim committee.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  LONG-TERM CARE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS INTERIM COMMITTEE.
   1.  A long-term care workforce solutions interim committee shall convene during the 2026 legislative interim to review all of the following:
   a.  The adequacy and availability of long-term care services in the state and how the state may improve those services.
   b.  The training, education, and skills necessary for an effective long-term care workforce.
   c.  The best means by which the state can support the recruitment, training, and retention of long-term care workers.
   d.  The current rates at which long-term care workers are compensated in this state and recommendations for increasing long-term care worker compensation.
   e.  The current turnover rates in the long-term care workforce, the main reasons for turnover among long-term care workers, and the cost to the state to remedy issues caused by long-term care worker turnover.
   2.  The interim committee shall consist of the following ex officio voting members:
   a.  One member appointed by the majority leader of the senate.
   b.  One member appointed by the senate minority leader.
   c.  One member appointed by the house of representatives majority leader.
   d.  One member appointed by the house of representatives minority leader.
   3.  The interim committee shall consist of the following nonvoting members:
   a.  Three members representing long-term care consumers and the families of long-term care consumers.
   b.  One member representing the office of long-term care ombudsman.
   c.  One member representing the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing.
   d.  One member representing the department of health and human services.
   e.  One member representing the department of workforce development.
   f.  One member representing area agencies on aging.
   g.  One member representing Iowa caregivers association.
   h.  One member representing leading age Iowa.
   i.  One member representing the Iowa health care association.
   j.  One member representing the Iowa association of community providers.
   k.  Two members representing long-term care service providers.
   4.  No later than January 11, 2027, the interim committee shall submit a report with the committee’s findings and recommendations to the chairperson and the ranking member of the senate committee on health and human services, the house committee on health and human services, and to the legislative fiscal committee.
    Sec. 2.  LEGISLATIVE FISCAL COMMITTEE REVIEW.  The legislative fiscal committee established in section 2.45 shall hold a meeting during the 2027 legislative interim. During the meeting, the committee shall review the report submitted by the long-term care workforce solutions interim committee to determine how to best achieve the long-term care workforce solutions interim committee’s recommendations. The legislative fiscal committee shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the general assembly no later than October 31, 2027.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill establishes a long-term care workforce solutions interim committee (interim committee) that shall convene during the 2026 legislative interim to review the status of the state’s long-term care workforce, ways to improve the long-term care workforce, and factors that affect the long-term care workforce as detailed in the bill. The interim committee will consist of a total of 16 voting members comprised of members from the house of representatives and the senate, and nonvoting members representing various organizations and stakeholders as detailed in the bill. No later than January 11, 2027, the interim committee must submit a report with the interim committee’s findings and recommendations to the chairperson and the ranking member of the senate committee on health and human services, the chairperson and ranking member of the house committee on health and human services, and the legislative fiscal committee.
   The bill requires the legislative fiscal committee to hold a meeting during the 2027 legislative interim. During the meeting, the committee shall review the report submitted by the interim committee to determine how to best achieve the interim committee’s recommendations. The legislative fiscal committee must submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the general assembly no later than October 31, 2027.