On Thursday, Senator Karin Housley (R-St. Marys Point) held a press conference outlining potential elder care reforms for the 2019 legislative session. The legislation comes as part of the ‘No Senior Ignored’ initiative, which highlights Senate Republicans’ commitment to elder care reform.
“This is about our commitment to Minnesota seniors. The ‘No Senior Ignored’ agenda sends a message loud and clear that no senior will be ignored in our state,” said Senator Housley. “It’s a new session, but our goal remains the same: bipartisan solutions on the serious issues facing elderly and vulnerable Minnesotans.”
The ‘No Senior Ignored’ agenda is a series of proposals aimed at strengthening protections for Minnesota seniors and enhancing state agency accountability, including electronic monitoring, changes to data privacy and the Home Care Bill of Rights, retaliation prohibitions, criminal code changes, and more. The proposals echo reforms that passed both chambers of the legislature during the 2018 session.
Senator Housley will serve as chairwoman for the inaugural Senate Family Care and Aging Committee, which was formed to tackle issues affecting Minnesota families and is expected to consider elder care reforms early in the session. In addition, Senator Housley will visit the Office of Health Facility Complaints (OHFC) in early January to meet with OHFC officials and ensure changes are being implemented.
“Caring for my mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s eight years ago, has opened my eyes to the seriousness of this issue,” Senator Housley continued. “This isn’t a partisan issue. These are our moms and our dads, our brothers and our sisters, our neighbors and our friends, and we can’t wait another session.”
Senator Karin Housley, of St. Marys Point, is in her second term representing District 39, which includes Stillwater, Lake Elmo, Forest Lake, and other communities in Washington and Chisago counties. Senator Housley is chairwoman of the Family Care and Aging Committee and is an assistant majority leader.