Senate Aging Committee advances 10 senior-focused bills including EPIC expansion and property-tax changes

Albany, N.Y. — The New York State Senate Committee on Aging, chaired by Senator Cordell Cleare, advanced 10 bills at its April 29 meeting that would change pharmacy assistance, tax relief, caregiver reporting and rules for nonmedical in-home services for older adults and people with disabilities.

The bills were approved by voice vote, with committee members saying “aye,” and most measures were reported either to the Senate floor or referred to the finance committee for further review.

The legislation addresses several areas affecting older New Yorkers and caregivers. Highlights include an expansion of the state's Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage program (EPIC), new regulatory oversight for social model adult day services, extensions and changes to property-tax exemptions and the Enhanced STAR filing process, strengthened language-access requirements for local tax-abatement programs, a new annual caregiver report, increases to income eligibility limits for rent-exemption programs, and changes to rules for nonmedical in-home and respite services.

Senator Cordell Cleare, chair of the committee, summarized the first bill as “a comprehensive reform and expansion of the State's Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage, EPIC, program,” saying the measure aims to “ensure that marginal increases in income for Social Security or pensions do not impair a person's ability to qualify” and to shift screening burden to the EPIC system rather than individuals.

Key actions (bill number and outcome)

- Senate Bill 3555A (Cleare): Amend the Elder Law to improve and expand EPIC for certain Medicare enrollees. Passed; reported to the Finance Committee.

- Senate Bill 3759 (Cleare): Amend the Elder Law to require the State Office for the Aging to establish regulations and inspection standards for social model adult day services programs. Passed; reported to the floor.

- Senate Bill 5069 (Griffo): Amend the Real Property Tax Law to provide a one-time filing extension for eligible applicants for the Enhanced STAR exemption. Passed; reported to the floor.

- Senate Bill 5175A (Comrie): Amend the Real Property Tax Law to allow local option annual real property tax exemptions for certain senior citizens of up to 65% of assessed valuation. Passed; reported to the floor.

- Senate Bill 5280 (Sepulveda): Amend the Real Property Tax Law to require language access services for the tax abatement program for rent-controlled and rent-regulated property occupied by seniors or persons with disabilities. Passed; reported to the floor.

- Senate Bill 5548 (Cleare): Amend the Real Property Tax Law and Administrative Code regarding abatement for rent-controlled and rent-regulated property occupied by seniors or persons with disabilities, including lowering the threshold for redeterminations and capping rent at no more than one-third of total household income when income decreases permanently. Passed; reported to the Finance Committee.

- Senate Bill 6043 (Cleare): Amend the Elder Law to require an annual report on individuals who are primary caregivers for an older adult, including counts and an estimate of economic value and savings to the state. Passed; reported to the Finance Committee.

- Senate Bill 6533 (Stavisky): Amend the Real Property Tax Law to increase income eligibility limits for the Senior Citizens Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) and Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE) by $5,000 to account for inflation. Passed; reported to the floor.

- Senate Bill 7077 (Cleare): Amend the Elder Law to expand provision of nonmedical in-home services, noninstitutional respite services, case management and ancillary services without a physician's order and to repeal related provisions; requested by local area agencies on aging. Passed; reported to the Finance Committee.

- Senate Bill 7335 (Martinez): Amend the Real Property Tax Law to add retirement as an immediate eligibility condition for Enhanced STAR (instead of waiting two years for redetermination). Passed; reported to the Finance Committee.

Context and committee discussion

Committee staff confirmed a quorum before the roll-call of bills. Committee members asked few substantive questions during the meeting; most bills were introduced with brief sponsor summaries and moved to a voice vote. Chair Cleare described several bills as responses to stakeholder recommendations, including suggestions from organizations that assist people in applying for Medicare and Medicaid and county-level providers.

Regarding adult day services oversight, Cleare said the bill would remedy what the committee viewed as insufficient self-oversight and place regulatory authority with the State Office for the Aging.

On SB7077, Cleare said the bill was requested by local area agencies on aging (AAAs) and would remove a physician-order requirement for certain nonmedical home services and end a de minimis cost-sharing provision so more funds can be reinvested into services. Cleare said, “We've received memos and support from LiveOn New York and the New York State Association of Counties.”

Sponsor remarks and constituent example

Senator Monica Martinez, sponsor of SB7335, said a constituent recently raised the issue after being unable to apply for Enhanced STAR because they had to wait for the next income redetermination. Martinez said adding retirement as a qualifying condition would reduce the delay seniors face after retirement.

What the committee did not decide

The committee's votes were procedural approvals to advance the bills to the next chamber or to the finance committee where applicable; none of the items recorded adoption of final regulations or budget appropriations. Several measures were referred to the finance committee or the floor for further consideration.

Next steps

The approved bills will proceed to the next stages specified by their referral: either the Senate floor for consideration by the full Senate or the Senate Finance Committee for fiscal review.

Notes

- Committee director Chris LaVonge announced the quorum and facilitated the agenda. - Several motions were moved and seconded without a named mover in the transcript; votes were taken by voice with committee members responding “aye.”