Follow-Up: Stevenson Motion Rejected

A motion by a Joplin state representative to eliminate new rules for Missouri's assisted living facilities failed to gain support in a key legislative committee.

The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) approved a substitute motion last week by Sen. Luann Ridgeway that keeps in place many of the Department of Health and Senior Services rules originally proposed.

Rep. Bryan Stevenson had been pushing a motion in JCAR that would have gutted nearly two dozen proposed rules for residential facilities. Rep. Stevenson's motion would have loosened or eliminated requirements for staffing, evacuation plans, immunizations and medical reviews at assisted living facilities.

For more information about Stevenson's failed motion, click HERE to read an earlier post.

"The safety of our seniors is more secure now with this substitute motion," Rep. Sam Page told the KY3 Political Notebook in an interview. "It doesn't compromise the safety of our seniors as the original motion did."

Sen. Ridgeway's motion, which was approved unanimously by the committee, kept key language on the following items:

*Background checks for on-site employees
*"Sufficient monitoring" of employees that do work in a facility
*Ability of staff to evacuate residents in 5 minutes
*Individual service plans, which advocates say protects residents with mental illnesses
*Requirement of routine immunizations of residents
*Mandating a resident receive doctor's approval before re-entry to a residential facility
*Specific staffing requirements for facilities

"My big problems with the original (Stevenson motion) included eliminating the background checks, eliminating an evacuation plan, and some staffing concerns," Rep. Page said. "Those were the most troubling, but they were resolved."

Page said the biggest fight brewed over the staffing requirements for facilities. The new rules outline minimum personnel requirements at certain times of the day.

"The process worked, his motion was rejected," Rep. Page said.