Bill Text: AZ SB1172 | 2019 | Fifty-fourth Legislature 1st Regular | Engrossed
Bill Title: Family caregivers; pilot; grant program
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-04-03 - House APPROP Committee action: Do Pass Amended, voting: (10-1-0-0-0-0) [SB1172 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2019-SB1172-Engrossed.html
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Senate Engrossed |
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State of Arizona Senate Fifty-fourth Legislature First Regular Session 2019
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SENATE BILL 1172 |
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AN ACT
Amending title 46, chapter 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding article 9; repealing title 46, chapter 2, article 9, Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act; appropriating monies; relating to the family caregiver grant program.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 46, chapter 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding article 9, to read:
ARTICLE 9. FAMILY CAREGIVER GRANT PROGRAM
46-341. Definitions
In this article, unless the context otherwise requires:
1. "Department" means the department of economic security.
2. "Director" means the director of the department.
3. "Qualifying expenses":
(a) Means those expenses that relate directly to caring for or supporting a qualifying family member.
(b) Includes:
(i) Improving or altering the individual's primary residence, whether owned or rented by the individual, to enable or assist the qualifying family member to be mobile, safe or independent.
(ii) Purchasing or leasing equipment or assistive care technology to enable or assist the qualifying family member to carry out one or more daily living activities.
(c) Does not include:
(i) Regular food, clothing or transportation expenses or gifts provided to the qualifying family member.
(ii) Ordinary household maintenance or repair that is not directly related to and necessary for the care of the qualifying family member.
(iii) Any amount that is paid or reimbursed by insurance or by the federal government, this state or a political subdivision of this state.
4. "Qualifying family member" means an individual who meets all of the following requirements:
(a) Is at least eighteen years of age during the calendar year.
(b) Requires assistance with one or more activities of daily living as certified by a physician who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 13 or 17, a registered nurse practitioner who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 15 or a physician assistant who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 25.
(c) Is the individual's spouse or the individual's or spouse's child, grandchild, stepchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, sibling, uncle or aunt, whether of the whole or half blood or by adoption.
46-342. Family caregiver grant program; requirements
A. Beginning January 1, 2020, the family caregiver grant program is established for individuals who have qualifying expenses during a calendar year due to caring for and supporting a qualifying family member in the individual's home.
B. To apply for a family caregiver grant:
1. An individual must submit an application to the department on a form prescribed by the department.
2. Be a resident of this state.
3. The individual's Arizona gross income, together with any Arizona gross income of each qualifying family member, in the taxable year may not exceed:
(a) $75,000 in the case of a single person or a married person filing separately.
(b) $150,000 in the case of a married couple filing a joint return.
4. The individual must incur qualifying expenses during the calendar year in which the individual applies for the grant for the care of one or more qualifying family members.
5. The individual must submit with the claim for the grant the qualifying family member's name and relationship to the individual.
C. The amount of the grant is equal to fifty percent of the qualifying expenses incurred during the calendar year in which the individual applies for the grant but not more than $1,000 for each qualifying family member.
D. An individual who receives a grant under this section is not eligible to apply for a grant under this section again for three consecutive calendar years.
E. The department shall certify applications for the grant on a first‑come, first‑served basis. The department may not award grants under this section that exceed in the aggregate $500,000 for any calendar year. The department shall include questions in the application to help the department determine if the grants provided delayed or prevented a qualifying family member from entering a long‑term care facility or assisted living facility in the calendar year of the application or future calendar years.
F. The department may use the advisory council on aging to provide input on approval of applications for grants and whether an expense is a qualifying expense or other issues relating to the grant program as determined by the department.
46-343. Family caregiver grant program fund; report
A. The family caregiver grant program fund is established. The director shall administer the fund. The fund shall consist of grants, gifts, donations and legislative appropriations. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated. Monies in the fund may be spent only for grants provided to individuals who are caring for and supporting a qualifying family member in the individual's home as specified in this article.
B. Expenditures from the family caregiver grant program fund from the previous calendar year shall be reported to the legislature in the course of the department's annual report. The department shall include aggregated data summarizing the qualifying expenses that were approved for grants, the types of individuals that qualified for the grants and information about the ability for qualified family members to delay entering a long‑term care facility or assisted living facility.
C. The state treasurer shall invest and divest monies in the fund as provided by section 35-313, and monies earned from investment shall be creditED to the fund.
D. Interest or other income derived from the family caregiver grant program fund may be used only for the purposes of this article. Interest or other income derived from the family caregiver grant program fund may not be used to supplant other appropriations.
Sec. 2. Delayed repeal
Title 46, chapter 2, article 9, Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act, is repealed from and after June 30, 2023.
Sec. 3. Appropriation; family caregiver grant program fund; exemption
A. The sum of $1,500,000 is appropriated one time from the state general fund in fiscal year 2019‑2020 to the department of economic security for deposit in the family caregiver grant program fund established by section 46‑343, Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act.
B. The monies appropriated pursuant to subsection A of this section are exempt from the provisions of section 35‑190, Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to lapsing of appropriations.
