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Committee approves modest expansion of exempt respite‑care programs after extended debate over safety and oversight
Summary
The House Health Committee passed HB 14‑95 to modestly increase capacity and weekly hours for limited respite care programs (often run by churches and ministries). Supporters pointed to community need; members pressed for clarity on ratios, security and training.
The House Health Committee on Wednesday approved House Bill 14‑95, a measure to expand limited respite care services that are exempt from licensure.
Sponsor and supporters said the bill makes a modest statutory change to allow more participants and more hours for exempt respite programs that provide short‑term care for adults who can function in a group setting. Representative (President) Slater told the committee the amendment aligns these exempt programs with existing adult day service ratios and that only appropriate adults — those who can feed and toilet themselves and participate in a group — are eligible.
The bill drew extended public testimony and questioning. Mike Glenn, a pastor who testified in favor, described churches filling local gaps: “Local churches have an opportunity to provide anywhere from 4 to 5 hours a day of care for a patient so that the caregiver can go to the bank, so the caregiver can go to a doctor's appointment.” He emphasized programs would not provide medical care or distribute medicine.
Opponents and some committee members pressed safety and operations concerns. Representative Williams and Representative Mackenzie asked whether churches would adopt security protocols, background checks and appropriate staffing ratios. Representative Mackenzie warned that many exempt facilities were not designed as memory‑care sites and asked who would be trained and how safety would be engineered. The sponsor replied that the amended bill preserves department oversight: if a complaint is substantiated the department can require a safety plan and other corrective steps.
Committee debate also included operational numbers cited by the sponsor: he said there have been six exempt centers operating seven years without a family complaint and estimated roughly 31,500 participant visits in that period. Members said those figures do not guarantee future safety and urged clearer training and facility requirements if the program proliferates.
The committee passed HB 14‑95 as amended to Calendar and Rules (16 ayes, 2 nays, 3 present not voting). The bill’s next procedural stop is the calendar and rules committee.
