81st Legislative Agenda
Enhancing Safety. Improving Quality. Saving Tax Dollars.
 Senate Budget Hearings Regarding Health and Human Services Agencies
CFE submitted written testimony to the Senate Finance Committee in support of the Department of Aging and Disability Services' (DADS) request for resources that will allow wages of direct care workers to be increased.
CFE's written testimony 
DADS Presentation to the Senate Finance Committee (2.11.09) .
Priority Issues for the 81st Legislative Session:
1. Improving the quality of in-home care by requiring pre-employment training for personal care attendants.
2. Raising attendant wages in order to attract and retain qualified, experienced workers.
Click for CFE's 81st Legislative Agenda 
CFE's 80th Texas Legislature Highlights
Senate Bill 199 goes into effect on September 1, 2007. This bill helps ensure the safety of our most vulnerable elderly and disabled citizens by preventing convicted criminals from being hired as home care attendants. S.B. 199 strengthens the Texas Health and Safety Code, section 250.006 by adding numerous convictions to the current list as reasons barring employment as an attendant. Thanks to all our representatives, but especially Senator Jane Nelson and Representative Patrick Rose for authoring S.B. 199. To learn more about S.B. 199, click here.
Senate Bill 1650 was authored by Senator Ellis in response to Care for Elders work on improving the quality of care provided by home care attendants. S.B. 1650 would have established a pilot project to provide hands-on, classroom training for home care attendants. CFE testified at the Senate Health and Human Services Subcommittee about the importance of this bill and the numbers of older adults that asked for direct care workers to have some training. All Senators supported the concept of training and its direct relation to improving quality, but were not willing to provide funding for it. Senators Patrick, Deuell, and Shapleigh spent time asking questions and gathering information on this critical issue. Care for Elders' appreciates the support from Senator Jane Nelson and Representative Beverly Woolley to get this bill on the calendar before the end of session. We learned a lot through this process and look forward to the Government Relations work group's continued focus on this critical issue.
Many thanks to EVERYONE who wrote letters of support and made calls in support of S.B. 199 and S.B. 1650.
Read our full 80th Legislative Agenda here.
2007 Legislative Agenda Summary (available in English or Spanish)
Last Updated on 2/12/09
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