Senate Bill 1803*-First Edition

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2007

S 1

SENATE BILL 1803*

Short Title: Statewide Aging Study.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Senators Malone, Swindell, Dorsett, Forrester; Allran, Apodaca, Atwater, Berger of Franklin, Brunstetter, Cowell, Goss, Graham, Hartsell, Jenkins, Jones, Nesbitt, Purcell, Snow, Soles, and Weinstein.
Referred to:	Rules and Operations of the Senate.

May 21, 2008

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to Provide a comprehensive five‑year statewide study of the State's readiness to respond to the coming wave of older adults by establishing a steering committee for the study, Appropriating funds to provide staff to support the Committee, and appropriating funds for the first year of the study, as recommended by the Study Commission on Aging.

Whereas, the anticipated increases in the older adult population are due to aging members of the baby boom generation, North Carolina's attractiveness as a retirement destination, and increased longevity; and

Whereas, it is projected that by 2030, 75 of North Carolina's counties will have more persons age 60 and older than age 17 and younger; and

Whereas, according to information from the Demographic Unit, Office of State Budget and Management, between 2000 and 2030, population growth for the State as a whole is projected at 52.5%, while the population 65 and older is expected to grow 123%, and the population 85 and older is expected to increase 146%; and

Whereas, these demographic shifts will likely impact workforce supply and demand, tax receipts, economic development, health and human services, and a number of other issues affecting State and local government; and

Whereas, the United States Administration on Aging has elected to provide assistance to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Aging and Adult Services, and Area Agencies on Aging in developing a comprehensive planning model for aging; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.1. Committee Established. – There is established the NC FACT (NC Facing Aging Communities Together) Steering Committee to guide the work of a five‑year study to assess the State's readiness to respond to increasing numbers of older adults residing in North Carolina; to inform and guide future policy and program development; and to increase State, regional, and local capacity for planning for an aging population.

SECTION 1.2. Membership. – The Steering Committee shall consist of 21 members appointed as follows:

(1) Two members with knowledge of and an interest in aging issues who are recommended by the North Carolina League of Municipalities and appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(2) Two members with knowledge of and an interest in aging issues who are recommended by the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners and appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

(3) Two members who are directors of Area Agencies on Aging, one appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and one appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

(4) Three members who are directors of local public or private nonprofit aging services providers, including at least one director of a Department of Social Services, appointed by the Governor.

(5) Two members of the Governor's Cabinet, appointed by the Governor.

(6) One member who is a State Office of Budget and Management employee experienced with health and human services or demographic and economic analysis, appointed by the Governor.

(7) Two members of the Senior Tar Heel Legislature, one appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and one appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

(8) One member of the General Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(9) One member of the General Assembly appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

(10) One member of the public appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(11) One member of the public appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

(12) The chair of the Governor's Advisory Council on Aging, or designee.

(13) The Director of the University of North Carolina Institute on Aging, or designee.

(14) The President of the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, or designee.

SECTION 1.3. Notices to Departments. – The Committee shall invite the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to attend each meeting of the Committee and encourage the participation of representatives from the various departmental divisions that serve older adults. The Committee shall also inform Secretaries of other Departments represented on the Governor's Cabinet of each meeting and encourage appropriate participation.

SECTION 1.4. Cochairs. – The Committee shall have two cochairs, one designated by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and one designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives from among their respective appointees.

SECTION 1.5. Duties of the Committee. – The Committee shall perform the following duties:

(1) Identify information and resources to provide needs assessment, planning, and delivery of services and programs to current and future older adults.

(2) Oversee the design and implementation of a Consumer Needs, Assets, and Expectations Assessment.

(3) Oversee the design and implementation of a State and Local Awareness and Preparedness Assessment.

(4) Identify and secure studies of related issues, such as retirement migration patterns, that impact the planning process for North Carolina's older adult population.

(5) Oversee design and implementation of a process to strengthen State and local planning.

(6) Use the findings of assessments, studies, and additional research to produce reports for the Governor and the General Assembly that will inform and guide policy and program development.

(7) Periodically evaluate the effectiveness of the study and recommend to the Governor and the General Assembly any changes to the Committee's mission.

SECTION 1.6. Vacancies. – Any vacancy on the Committee shall be filled by the original appointing authority.

SECTION 1.7. Expenses of the Committee Members. – Members of the Committee shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel allowances in accordance with G.S. 120‑3.1, 138‑5, or 138‑6, as appropriate.

SECTION 1.8. Cooperation. – The Committee may call upon any department, agency, institution, or officer of the State or any political subdivision thereof for facilities, data, or other assistance.

SECTION 1.9. Consultants. – The Committee may hire consultants to assist with the study or to provide studies of issues impacting the planning and delivery of services to the older adult population and needed public policies.

SECTION 1.10. Meetings. – The Committee shall meet upon the call of the cochairs. The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Legislative Services Commission shall grant adequate meeting space for the Committee.

SECTION 1.11. Report. – The Committee shall make an annual report in January of each year to the Governor, the North Carolina Study Commission on Aging, the Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services, and the House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services. The Committee shall make its final report in January 2013, and shall expire upon submitting that report.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Aging and Adult Services, the sum of one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($175,000) for the 2008‑2009 fiscal year, to be used to establish positions to support the NC FACT (NC Facing Aging Communities Together) Steering Committee.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Aging and Adult Services, the sum of three million eight hundred twenty thousand dollars ($3,820,000) for the 2008‑2009 fiscal year to provide funds for design, implementation, analysis, and reporting for a survey of consumer needs, assets, and expectations; funds for design, implementation, analysis, and reporting for a survey of State and local governments; funds to strengthen the capacity of Area Agencies on Aging for support of regional and local planning; funds to each county to aid the work of citizen‑driven local aging leadership planning; and funds for additional studies and consultants.

SECTION 4. Sections 2 and 3 of this act become effective July 1, 2008; the remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law.