AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 43-21-130, RELATING TO THE LONG-TERM CARE COUNCIL, SO AS TO CORRECT REFERENCES TO CERTAIN AGENCIES WITH MEMBERSHIP ON THE COUNCIL; BY AMENDING SECTION 43-21-140, RELATING TO THE PURPOSE AND DUTIES OF COUNCIL, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE SHARING OF DATA WITH MEMBER AGENCIES; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
Summary
H3022 updates South Carolina’s Long-Term Care Council statutes. The bill corrects and modernizes the list of council members to reflect current state agency names and reorganized offices, while preserving the council’s overall structure and role. It also revises the council’s duties to explicitly allow and encourage the sharing of necessary data and information among member agencies when developing long-term care policy recommendations.
The bill keeps the council focused on identifying long-term care policy issues, conducting research and demonstration activities, and making annual recommendations to the General Assembly. It continues the council’s responsibility to study statewide service delivery for elderly or disabled residents, including community services, case management, discharge planning, and access to long-term care supports. The measure also preserves the council’s mandate to examine the costs and benefits of adult day care, respite care, adult foster homes, in-home care incentives, and home-delivered services.
Impact
The bill amends Sections 43-21-130 and 43-21-140 of the South Carolina Code of Laws. Its practical effect is to update statutory references to state agencies and offices that participate on the Long-Term Care Council, including changes tied to health, behavioral health, developmental disabilities, aging, and veterans’ affairs entities. It also clarifies that the council may coordinate planning through data and information sharing with member agencies, which may improve interagency analysis and policy development without giving the council authority to direct agency action.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests broad bipartisan support and little opposition. The House initially passed the bill 97-0, the Senate later advanced it 43-0 on second reading, and the House adopted an amendment 113-0. There are no committee transcripts provided, but the unanimous votes indicate the bill was viewed as a routine, noncontroversial update to an existing advisory council rather than a major policy change.
Contention
No significant points of contention are evident in the available record. The bill appears to be primarily technical and administrative, focused on conforming agency names and clarifying coordination authority. If any issue could draw attention, it would be the data-sharing language, but the text limits that sharing to what is necessary for member agencies’ planning efforts and does not expand the council’s power to compel action from agencies.