House hearing lays out competing views on creating Home and Community Services Workforce Standards Board

Summary

Supporters told the House Committee on Rules that a new standards board would raise wages, training and retention for caregivers; opponents warned the board would usurp the legislature, impose unfunded mandates, risk worker privacy and trigger litigation. No final action was taken at the April 28 hearing.

Chair Carrie Bowman opened a public hearing April 28 on House Bill 3838, a proposal to establish a Home and Community Services Workforce Standards Board to set minimum wages, benefits and training standards for a wide range of home- and community-based caregivers. Supporters said the board would give workers and employers a permanent forum to address chronic staffing shortages and turnover; opponents said the panel would improperly delegate lawmaking authority, impose unfunded mandates and risk costly litigation and privacy harms.

The bill as amended (dash 3) would create an 11-member board appointed by the governor, including three worker representatives, three employer representatives, two people who represent service recipients, one Bureau of Labor and Industries representative, one Department of Human Services representative and one executive-branch appointee. The governor would be required to appoint co-chairs — one representing workers and one representing employers. The dash 3 amendment requires the board to conduct a comprehensive market study and public hearings before adopting standards; it directs the board to consult with the director of Medicaid services and makes adoption of any standard with fiscal impact contingent on legislative appropriation and, where required, federal approval (for example, CMS). The amendment also assigns investigatory and…

House hearing lays out competing views on creating Home and Community Services Workforce Standards Board

Summary

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