Martha Marx

SENATOR MARX PROUD TO SUPPORT SENATE LEGISLATION BENEFITTING SENIORS FINANCIALLY AND THROUGH STRONGER CARE STANDARDS

Today, State Senator Martha Marx (D-New London) was proud to join the State Senate in its approval of two bills that will provide additional support to seniors throughout the state. The first is designed to establish a revolving loan account, assisting senior homeowners who have delinquent property tax payments; the second will implement the recommendations of the Homemaker-Companion Agency Task Force, improving transition registration and oversight for homemaker-companion agencies.

“As a visiting nurse, I work with many seniors throughout our community, and I’m proud to vote for these bills because they will directly benefit quality of life and available resources for seniors across the state,” said Sen. Marx. “Senior homeowners who are behind on their tax payments deserve opportunities to catch up. Seniors deserve high quality of care from homemaker-companion agencies and should have recourse to take action if that care doesn’t meet needed standards. I’m looking forward to these bills becoming law to benefit seniors throughout our communities.”

Senate Bill 900, “An Act Establishing A Revolving Loan Account To Assist Elderly Homeowners,” would establish such an account to support any property owner aged 65 or older who has lived in the same town or city for at least 10 years, has lived in their home full-time for eight of the last ten years and meets low income thresholds to receive a tax reduction through the fund, as long as their property is not encumbered and the principal of the loan does not exceed taxes levied against the property.

This bill received support from the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, which noted the bill would aid distressed elderly homeowners experiencing financial difficulties. It previously passed the Aging Committee by a 15-0 vote.

Senate Bill 1025, “An Act Implementing The Recommendations Of The Homemaker-Companion Agency Task Force,” would take the recommendations of that task force and make changes including: transferring responsibility for registration and oversight of homemaker-companion agencies from the Department of Consumer Protection to the Department of Public Health; allow the Commissioner of Consumer Protection to revoke, suspend, refuse to issue or renew certificates of registration, place on probation or issue a letter of reprimand to a facility deemed to have acted against regulations; develop and implement mandatory training standards for agency employees; and require development of a written contract or service plan within seven calendar days of services beginning, among other changes.

This bill received support from the Department of Social Services, Home Care Association of America and a number of home care agencies across the state. It previously passed the Aging Committee by a 15-0 vote.