The second semiannual meeting of the Special Advisory Commission of Senior Citizens (Commission) convened on Thursday, November 8, 2001, at 1:00 PM, in the Ballroom of the Holiday Inn Capital Plaza in Frankfort. Dr. Abby Marlatt, Chair, called the meeting to order.
Present were:
Members: Abby Marlatt, Chair; Hugh Adams, Frances Baccus, Peggy Baldridge, Nelda Barnett, Elizabeth Billings, Anna Birch, Joe Bishop, Bernard Bockweg, J. Boling, Thomas Bullington, Frances Cain, Frank Carlton, Leon Dodge, Margie England, Doris Engle, Betty Fay, Finnell Fields, Charles Fisher, Hallie Folz, Rufus Fugate, Jack Golden, Charles Speed Gray, James Halvatgis, Edna Hawkins, Winford Holt, Lee Hopkins, Betty Huff, Bobby Humes, Charles Jackson, Mildred Jackson, Edgar Jamison, Argene Jones, W Keith, W. D. Kelley, Wanda Korte, L. G. Kuhn, Dorothy Laganosky, Gayle Lawson, Irving Lipetz, Pete McNeill, Virgil Mefford, Vernon Miniard, Elmer Morrison, Gayle Muncy, Frederic Ogden, Josephine Osborn, Raymond Osborn, Jean Phelps, John Polivka, Don Potts, Helen Raby, Stanley Ramey, Lillian Rice, Esther Rigby, Jeane Robertson, Mary Robertson, Ray Roundtree, LaVerne Ryan, Don Sarver, Martha Sarver, John Searcy, Berton Sisk, Delma Smith, Martha Smith, Melvin Smith, Joan Stivers, James Stokley, Pat Sutton, Mary Trimble, Laurel True, Robert Veazey, Irene Vertrees, Vinson Watts, Edna Westerfield, Lillian Wheeler, Betty Whitehead, Jack Wines, and Malcolm Wolford.
Guests: Representative Carolyn Belcher; Senator Tom Buford; Representative Gippy Graham; Senator Marshall Long; Senator Ed Miller; Representative Steve Nunn; Senator Joey Pendleton; Representative Jody Richards, Speaker of the House; Senator Richard Roeding, Senate President Pro Tem; Representative Charles Siler; Representative Kathy Stein; Senator Elizabeth Tori; Representative Mike Weaver; and Dr. Mary Fox.
LRC Staff: Gilmore Dutton, Barbara Baker, Emily Bottoms, Rhonda Carter, Janice Clark, Gerard Donovan, Sally Everman, Jamie Griffin, Linda Hughes, Kathy King, Louis Pierce, Cindy Smith, John Snyder, Ellen Steinberg, Matt Trebelhorn, and Katie Carney.
Chairperson Marlatt welcomed everyone to the second meeting of the twenty-fourth year of the founding of the Special Advisory Commission of Senior Citizens. She asked all the charter members of the Commission to stand and be recognized. Mrs. Gayle Lawson was the only original member in attendance. Chairperson Marlatt introduced the following new Commission members:
Mr. Rufus Fugate, appointed by the Kentucky River Area Development District;
Mr. Charles Speed Gray, appointed by the Gateway Area Development District; and
Mr. Vernon Miniard, appointed by the Lake Cumberland Area Development District.
Chairperson Marlatt recognized Ms. Jean Phelps for a report from the Nominating Committee. Mrs. Phelps announced the following nominations:
For the position of Chair: Mrs. Esther Rigby, Mr. Robert Veazey, Jeane Robertson
For the position of Vice Chair: Mr. Joe Bishop, Mr. Irving Lipetz, and Mr. Vigil Gilliam.
Ms. Phelps moved for the adoption of the Committee’s report. The motion was seconded, and the Committee’s report was adopted unanimously by the Commission.
Mr. Gilmore Dutton, Commission Staff Coordinator, made the following announcements:
(1) Mr. Argene Jones was selected for the regional coordinator of the Kentucky River Regional Coordinating Committee;
(2) The Governor’s Conference on Aging will be held November 14-16, 2001, at the Galt House in Louisville;
(3) Dr. Abby Marlatt was inducted into the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame on July 18, 2001;
(4) The establishment of a Subcommittee for the planning of the 25th Anniversary meeting on November 7-8, 2002. Chairperson Marlatt appointed Mr. Robert Veazey to chair; and
(5) The annual Senior Day will be held in Frankfort on February 12, 2002.
Mr. Dutton introduced Representative Jody Richards, Speaker of the House, and Senator Richard Roeding, Senate President Pro Tem, as the speakers for the afternoon.
Representative Richards spoke on the following issues for the 2002 Kentucky General Assembly:
· An increase in teacher’s salaries;
· An interstate compact that would enforce telemarketing companies to abide by the no call list that is already in effect;
· Making Kentucky a more fair state on taxation for the working class;
· Solid waste removal; and
· Election Reform.
Senator Richard Roeding spoke on the following issues for the 2002 Kentucky General Assembly:
· Keeping down the cost of medicine and drugs;
· Senior citizen pharmaceutical assistance;
· Quality of life issues for senior citizens;
· At-home and assisted living options for senior citizens;
· Federal – state cooperative efforts to stop unsolicited telemarketer phone calls;
· Better care in state nursing facilities for senior citizens with Alzheimer’s; and
· Prevention of elderly abuse or neglect by caregivers in the home.
Following the presentations there was a short question and answer period. Chairperson Marlatt thanked Representative Richards and Senator Roeding. She then adjourned the opening general session to allow the subcommittees to convene. She announced that the dinner session would commence at 6 PM.
Chairperson Marlatt convened the dinner session and introduced the evening’s legislative hosts. They were Representative Carolyn Belcher, Senator Tom Buford, Representative Gippy Graham, Senator Marshall Long, Senator Ed Miller, Representative Steve Nunn, Senator Joey Pendleton, Representative Charles Siler, Representative Kathy Stein, Senator Elizabeth Tori, and Representative Mike Weaver.
Chairperson Marlatt read two resolutions commending previous staff members of the Legislative Research Commission. The two resolutions were then adopted by the Commission.
The Commission members were addressed by Dr. Mary Fox. Dr. Fox enlightened the Commission with her version of the King James Version of Chapter 12, Ecclesiates. Dr. Fox informed the members that the Bible helps inform senior citizens on how to live and the avoid depression of aging.
Dr. Fox stated that one of the most beneficial developments for seniors has been the opening of senior citizen programs. She said that the programs have enabled seniors to go out and meet new people, which in turn has reduced the consumption of medications by seniors in half and improved most cases of depression.
Dr. Fox shared her fears of today’s society with the Commission. They are as follows:
· Senior citizens outliving Social Security;
· People retiring too young and insufficient money for their retirement;
· Seniors losing their driving privileges;
· Seniors being forced to move out of their houses, with no one to take care of them; and
· Terrorism throughout the world.
Dr. Fox feels that people need to plan for these events more carefully so that in the future these fears will not be a major concern. She also feels that seniors need to stay healthy and to exercise.
Chairperson Marlatt concluded the dinner session with the announcement that the Subcommittees would convene at 8:30 AM the next morning, Friday, November 9, 2001.
After the conclusion of subcommittee meetings on Friday, November 9, 2001, the closing general session was convened by Chairperson Marlatt at 10:30 AM.
The following Subcommittee reports were adopted by the Commission:
Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs
(Presented by Mr. Finnell Fields, Subcommittee Chair)
The Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs met and heard testimony Thursday several people. Lori Beasey of American Pharmaceutical Outlet explained that many pharmaceutical companies offer prescription drugs at reduced prices. She stated some people find the procedures to enroll in these programs too confusing. Ms. Beasey said American Pharmaceutical Outlet guidelines require an annual income under $16,000 for an individual and $25,000 for a family. They require both a membership fee and quarterly fees.
Sandra Rolland, Project Manager of the Kentucky Health Insurance Assistance Program, also known as SHIP, gave an overview of how her office assists Medicare recipients. Assistance in prescription drug issues include locating pharmaceutical companies offering prescription drugs at reduced prices, with no fee involved for the service. Ms. Rolland reviewed an internet site which helps locate the pharmaceutical companies by disease or prescription.
On Friday, Todd Leatherman, Director, Consumer Affairs Division, Office of Attorney General discussed the following topics:
(1) Telemarketing;
(2) Cemeteries; and
(3) Consumer Education.
Mr. Leatherman said that the Attorney General’s Office wanted to reduce the number of telemarketers that are exempted from the no call list.
The Subcommittee approved the following recommendations:
(1) That the General Assembly enact telemarketing legislation;
(2) That the General Assembly enact legislation to protect seniors who grant a Power of Attorney; and
(3) That the General Assembly enact legislation addressing the high cost of drugs and health care.
Subcommittee on Health and Human Services
(Presented by Mr. Joe Bishop, Subcommittee Chair)
The Subcommittee on Health and Human Services met and discussed the recommendations from the May meeting. Barbara Gordon from the Office of Aging Services, Brenda Rice, former Long-Term Care Ombudsman, and M.T. Meaney, President of the Kentucky Assisted Living Facilities Association served as the Subcommittee’s resource panel regarding home and community-based services and the quality of long-term care.
The Subcommittee also discussed access to prescription drugs for seniors. Representative Steve Nunn, Lawrence Ford of Anthem Blue Cross, and Robert Jenkins, Committee Staff Administrator of the Health and Welfare Committee of the Legislative Research Commission served as the Subcommittee’s resource panel.
The Subcommittee approved the following recommendations:
(1) That the General Assembly enact legislation creating a program and providing the funding for a true continuum of community-based care including homecare, caregiver support, senior centers, and assisted living in their homes as long as possible;
(3) That the General Assembly enact legislation adopting the recommendations of the Home Based Services Workgroup of the Quality Long-Term Care Task Force established by the 2000 Senate Concurrent Resolution 39.
Subcommittee on Insurance
(Presented by Mr. Thomas Bullington, Subcommittee Chair)
The Subcommittee approved the following recommendations:
(1) That the Kentucky General Assembly adopt a resolution requesting the United States Congress to enact a prescription drug program for senior citizens; and
(2) That the Kentucky General Assembly adopt Senator Bob Jackson’s proposed legislation (BR 1035) establishing a Kentucky Prescription Medicine Program.
Subcommittee on Taxation
(Presented by Mr. Winford Holt, Subcommittee Chair)
The Subcommittee on Taxation heard testimony from Representative Jim Wayne, who represents the 35th Jefferson County House District. Representative Wayne serves on the Appropriations and Revenue Committee. He has prefiled a bill for the 2002 Regular Session that deals with an earned income tax credit for low-income taxpayers. A representative from Kentucky Youth Advocacy, who is also a member of The Tax Fairness Coalition, spoke in favor of an earned income tax credit.
The Subcommittee also heard testimony from a representative of the Kentucky Health Investment for Kids Coalition, an advocacy group that supports raising taxes on tobacco.
Lastly, the Subcommittee heard from the Revenue Cabinet on how it may deal with tax issues relating to catalog sales, sales over the internet, and sales made from home shopping over television.
The Subcommittee approved the following recommendations:
(1) That the General Assembly enact legislation reforming Kentucky’s tax system to achieve a system which is fair, not detrimental to economic growth, compares favorably with surrounding states, is administratively reasonable, and yields adequate revenue for state government, including provisions to:
(a) Eliminate the status of married filing separately on a combined form and use the federal standard deduction for all filers; and
(b) Eliminate the 740-S form;
(2) That the General Assembly enact legislation requiring that tax credits be given to those who care for the elderly in the elderly person’s home or in the caregiver’s home; and
(3) That the General Assembly eliminate the inheritance tax on Class B and Class C beneficiaries and retain the federal estate tax pickup.
Subcommittee on Transportation
(Presented by Mr. Jack Golden, Subcommittee Chair)
The Subcommittee heard testimony from Glenn Ellis, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, regarding an update on the State’s Human Service Transportation Delivery System, which coordinates transportation services for Medicaid, TANF, and Workforce Development. Mr. Ellis reported that since 1999 the number of trips has increased by one-third, while the average length of the trip and cost have both fallen by fifty percent.
Mr. Ellis stated that the program relies on a network of regional brokers who handle transportation services for all clients in a region for a flat monthly rate, as opposed to being paid per trip. He noted that changes in the program took effect across the state July 1, 2001, except in the Louisville-metropolitan area, where the changes will take effect early next year. He said that the major change was the establishment of the transportation coordinator positions as Cabinet employees, who serve as client advocates, and that they, not the brokers, determine whether trips are approved.
Vice-Chair Esther Rigby and John Snyder, staff, gave brief overviews of the Transportation Cabinet’s Highway Safety Summit Meeting, which was held last week in Lexington. The main push of the Summit was for a mandatory seatbelt law.
John Snyder gave an overview of prefiled legislation, including BR 210, which calls for a primary seatbelt law. He said other prefiled measures deal with child booster seats, use of cellular telephones while driving, and vehicle emission control.
The Subcommittee approved the following recommendations:
(1) That the General Assembly enact legislation adopting a primary seat belt law;
(2) That the General Assembly enact legislation requiring that young drivers take a driver education course prior to testing for an operator’s license, rather than within a year of receiving a license, and requiring a parent or guardian attest that the minor has had 30 hours of driving experience before a minor can take the license test; and
(3) That the General Assembly encourage the development of statewide volunteer programs to test older drivers to determine the reduction in visual field and to train drivers to improve their visual field.
Chairperson Marlatt announced the next semiannual meeting would be held on May 9 and 10, 2002. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:55 AM.