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STATUS: Referred to House Ways and Means
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR PERSON 70+ (H.3725)
A bill to allow an additional homestead exemption equal to one hundred fifty thousand dollars of fair market value of the homestead for an owner who has attained age seventy before the applicable tax year.

STATUS: House Ways and Means
HOMESTEAD PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION (S.52)
A bill to delete the date by which life estates created other than by will are otherwise eligible for the exemption.

STATUS: Referred to Senate Finance
HOMESTEAD PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION (S.255)
A bill to exempt property receiving the homestead exemption from increases in fair market value due to reassessment.

STATUS: Referred to Senate Finance
HOSPITAL FAIR PRICING ACT (H.3583)
A bill to enact the Hospital Fair Pricing Act, to define terms, to allow acute care hospitals to purchase services from sole provider hospitals at a certain rate, to provide that the state health plan must contain a policy statement requiring access to health care services by a provider so that the provider may offer these services on a competitive basis, where competition is permitted.

STATUS: Referred to House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal
HUNTING AND FISHING LICENSES AMENDMENT (H.3197)
A bill to issue free licenses to persons living in certain parts of Georgia who are at least age sixty-five of years or older.

STATUS: Referred to House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs
LONG TERM CARE SERVICES (H.4178, S.801)
A Joint Resolution to direct the Governor to appoint a task force to develop a plan to restructure and consolidate state level programs which plan, fund, regulate, and deliver long-term care services for the elderly; and to develop a plan which addresses local level coordination of these services.

STATUS: H.4178 - Referred to House Ways and Means;

S.801 - Referred to Senate Medical Affairs

STATUS: Rejected by House
MAGISTRATE AGE REQUIREMENT (H.3067)
A bill to delete the requirement that a magistrate has to retire no later than the end of the fiscal year in which he reaches his seventy-second birthday, allowing him to serve so long as the appointing authority consents to and by appointment provides for such service.

STATUS: Referred to House Judiciary
PHARMACY RECORDS, LIMITATION/CONSENT FOR SELLING (H.4363)
A bill to limit to whom a pharmacist or drug outlet may sell pharmacy records and to require consent from each customer whose records are to be sold.

STATUS: Referred to Medical, Military, Public and Municipal
PRESCRIPTION ORTHOTIC DEVICES EXEMPTION (H.3130)
A bill to provide a sales tax exemption on prescription orthotic devices and replacement parts for prescription prosthetic and orthotic devices.

STATUS: Referred to House Ways and Means
PROPERTY TAX RELIEF (H.3619)
A bill to provide for a statewide referendum to be held on November 7, 1995, on the question of raising the sales, use and casual excise tax from 5% to 6% to provide an exception from sales tax on food and provide property tax relief.

STATUS: Referred to House Ways and Means
RETIREMENT INCOME (H.3082, H.3270)
A bill to increase from $3,000 to $6,000 the maximum amount of retirement income a taxpayer at least sixty-two years of age may deduct from taxable income.

STATUS: H.3082 - Referred to House Ways and Means; H.3270 - Referred to House Ways and Means
STATE INCOME TAX EXEMPTION FOR 65+ (S.36, S.914, S.961) A bill to exempt from state income tax resident individuals who have attained the age of sixty-five years.

STATUS: All referred to Senate Finance

STATUS: Referred to House Ways and Means
UNIFORM CUSTODIAL TRUST ACT (H.3052)
A bill to enact the Uniform Custodial Trust Act which provides for the creation of a statutory custodial trust for adults whenever property is delivered to another as a custodial trustee under this Act.

STATUS: Referred to House Judiciary
VEHICLE PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION (S.570)
A bill to exempt fifty percent of the fair market value of a recreational vehicle owned by an individual who has attained age sixty-five.

STATUS: Referred to Senate Finance
1996-97 APPROPRIATION BILL (H.4600)
FY July 1-June 30,1997: Joint Legislative Committee on Aging $61,293 House,struck by Senate; $12,000 Darlington Council on Aging,Senate; Div. on Aging Total Funds-$19,232,304,$2,156,481-State,Senate; $100,000 Alzheimer's with equal match,cash or in-kind(6DD.37).PartII Sec.54,location of Senior Center projects may be changed within a county by the State Budget and Control Bd at request of Div. on Aging; Sec.55 gasoline tax 1/4 cent used for mass transit, Senate.

STATUS: Budget Conference Cmte. Senators Drummond, V.Smith, Courtney;Reps. H.Brown, Boan, Robinson

*Long Term Care Insurance Home/Community Optional Benefit, Office of the Governor, Division on Aging, Department of Insurance. Evaluations were reported to the General Assembly in September, 1995. Copy available in Committee office. Second evaluation due January 1997 (1991 Act 165, Section 3).

The status of legislation introduced by the Committee and other selected legislation related to aging interests is summarized periodically during the session in the "Legislative Update". This publication is very popular among legislators, the aging network organizations and interested individuals. Copies are distributed upon request.

The "Summary of Legislation Related to Aging Interests" (30 pages) is updated after each session, distributed to House and Senate Research,

This year the SC Federation of Older Americans (SCFOA) hosted the Seniors' Legislative Day `96 on Wednesday, January 24, 1996 at the Capital Senior Center in Columbia. The day consisted of workshops for members of the Federation and the annual luncheon held to honor the members of the General Assembly.

"Winds of Change: Working Together for Effective Solutions" was the theme of this year's event. Over 150 persons were present.

Dr. James Califf, President of the Federation, presided over the event and introduced the legislators. Jeff Bryson, Director of Constituent Affairs for the Governor's Office, introduced the guest speaker, Lieutenant Governor Bob Peeler. Lt. Governor Peeler spoke on "South Carolina 1996 and Into the 21st Century."

Rep. June Shissias received the 1995 Legislator of the Year Award from the SCFOA.

The Joint Legislative Committee on Aging held a workshop on Long Term Care legislation.

Agnes Scott College

Lauren Wheeler participated in the Shadow program of the Career Planning and Counseling Department of Agnes Scott College on March 12, 1996. She attended House and Senate committee meetings and observed a session of the General Assembly.

Chairman Patrick B. Harris received the "Leadership in Aging Award" at the Awards Luncheon during the Governor's Conference on Aging, May 15th.

Karen Sprayberry, Research Assistant, is a Board member of the Mid-State Chapter, Alzheimer's Association and serves as Chair of the Public Policy Committee.

The following publications are available from the Committee office and distributed upon request:
* Annual Report, Advisory Committee on Adult Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of the Long Term Care Council; 1992
* Alzheimer's or Dementia Specific Care Units: Should They Be Regulated?, 1995
* Annual Reports 1970-1996
* Aging Resources, 1996
* Aging in South Carolina: Focus on Caregiving, 1993
* Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Registry, Annual Report, School of Public Health, 1995
* Declaration of a Desire for a Natural Death form
* Directory of Housing for Seniors in SC, 1994
* GRAY PLAGUE OF THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY: Meeting the Needs of Individuals with Alzheimer's Disease, Their Families and Caregivers, Alzheimer's Task Force, November 1993
* Health Care Power of Attorney form
* Homestead Tax Exemption Program; Comptroller General, 1995
* Legislative History of the "Living Will" and Health Care Power of Attorney, 1977-1993
* Medicare Supplement Insurance Standardization Comparison of Annual Premium Rates in SC, Dept. of Insurance, 1996
* Discovering SC, Vol.8, No.1, 1996

The mission of the Governor's Office Division on Aging is to enhance the quality of life for older South Carolinians by developing and coordinating a comprehensive community-based long term care and preventive services system designed to assist older persons in leading independent, meaningful and dignified lives in their own homes and communities for as long as possible.
Responsibilities:
* Designated by the Governor as the State Unit on Aging to administer the federal Older Americans Act, which funds such programs as nutrition, transportation, in-home services, senior employment and other community-based services.
* Operates the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, which investigates complaints of abuse, neglect, exploitation, and concerns regarding quality of care and residents' rights made by or on behalf of residents of long term care facilities.
* Provides leadership, planning and management of services delivered through grants and contracts with the statewide Aging Network of 10 Area Agencies on Aging and 58 Local Service Provider Agencies, known in most communities as Councils on Aging.
* Administers the Senior Citizens Centers Permanent Improvement Fund, which provides funding for construction and renovation of senior centers according to priorities and criteria established by the General Assembly.
* Operates the South Carolina Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Resource Coordination Center, which provides information, education, service coordination, and provides small grants for local projects to serve persons with Alzheimer's Disease and their families.
* Administers the ElderCare Trust Fund which provides small seed grants for innovative local projects that assist older persons to remain in their homes with maximum independence and dignity.
* Serves as an advocate for older South Carolinians, providing analysis on legislative and public policy issues of concern to other division of the Governor's Office and other state agencies as appropriate.

(R 420, H.3247)(Code 2-51-10)

An Act to create a Permanent Committee to conduct continuing Studies of Public and Private Services, Programs and Facilities for the Aging.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Section 1. The General Assembly finds that the Committee to Study Public and Private Services, Programs and Facilities for the Aging, originally created H.1286 of 1969 and continued by concurrent resolution through 1977, fulfills a necessary and continuing legislative need and the functions of the committee can be more properly fulfilled by a permanent committee.

Section 2. There is created a permanent committee to conduct continuing studies of public and private services, programs and facilities for the aging in South Carolina and report its findings and recommendations annually to the General Assembly.

Three members shall be appointed from the Senate by the President thereof, three members shall be appointed from the House of Representative by the Speaker and three member shall be appointed by the Governor. Terms of legislative members shall be coterminous with their terms as members of the General Assembly and terms of members appointed by the Governor shall be coterminous with the term of the appointing Governor.

The Legislative Council shall provide such legal services as the Committee may require in the performance of its duties.

Section 3. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.

Approved the 14th day of February 1978.

IX. APPENDIX B: COUNTY COUNCILS ON AGING 1996
County. . . . .Service Providers. . . . .Telephone
Abbeville . . . . .Abbeville Senior Center. . . . .459-9666
Aiken. . . . .Aiken Council on Aging. . . . .648-5447
Allendale. . . . .Allendale Council on Aging. . . . .584-4350
Anderson. . . . .Anderson/Oconee Council on Aging. . . . .225-3370
Bamberg. . . . .Bamberg Co. Office on Aging. . . . .245-3021
Barnwell. . . . .Barnwell Co. Office on Aging. . . . .541-1249
Beaufort. . . . .Beaufort Council on Aging. . . . .524-1787
. . . . .Neighborhood Legal Assist. Prog., Inc.. . . . .838-5001
Berkeley. . . . .Berkeley County Senior Citizens. . . . .761-6900
Calhoun. . . . .Calhoun Co. Agy. for Senior Citizens. . . . .874-1270
Charleston . . . . .Charleston Area Senior Citizens, Inc.. . . . .722-4127
. . . . .American Red Cross - Low Country. . . . .566-9965
. . . . .Neighborhood Legal Assist. Prog., Inc.. . . . .722-0107
. . . . .Sea Island Com. Health Ctr., Inc.. . . . .559-4137
. . . . .South Santee Community Center. . . . .546-2789
Cherokee. . . . .Cherokee Co. Services to the Aging. . . . .488-0476
Chester. . . . .Senior Services Inc. of Chester Co.. . . . .385-3810
Chesterfield. . . . .Chesterfield Council on Aging. . . . .623-2280
Clarendon . . . . .Clarendon Council on Aging. . . . .435-8593
Colleton . . . . .Colleton Council on Aging. . . . .549-7642
. . . . .Neighborhood Legal Assist. Prog., Inc.. . . . .549-9581
Darlington. . . . .Darlington Council on Aging. . . . .393-8521
Dillon. . . . .Dillon Council on Aging. . . . .774-0089
Dorchester. . . . .Dorchester Human Development Bd.. . . . .871-5053
Edgefield . . . . .Edgefield Senior Citizens Council. . . . .637-5326
Fairfield . . . . .Fairfield Council on Aging. . . . .635-3015
Florence . . . . .Florence Council on Aging. . . . .669-6761
Georgetown . . . . .Georgetown Council on Aging. . . . .546-8539
Greenville. . . . .Senior Action Inc.. . . . .467-3660
. . . . .Greenville Transit Authority. . . . .467-5000
. . . . .Greenville Urban League. . . . .244-3862
. . . . .Legal Services of Western Carolina. . . . .467-3232

IX. APPENDIX C: AREA AGENCIES ON AGING 1996
REGION. . . . .SERVICE PROVIDERS. . . . .NUMBER
I. . . . .SC Appalachian Council of Govn'ts. . . . .242-9733
Appalachia. . . . .Dr. Michael Stogner, Aging Unit Director
. . . . .Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville,
. . . . .Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg
II. . . . .Upper Savannah Council of Govn'ts. . . . .941-8050
Upper. . . . .Ms. Sandra Johnson, Aging Unit Director. . . . .(800)
Savannah. . . . .Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood,. . . . .922-7729
. . . . .Laurens, McCormick, Saluda

COUNTY. . . . .NUMBER. . . . .AMOUNT

Abbeville. . . . .3,397. . . . .480,334.37
Aiken. . . . .12,026. . . . .1,451,577.05
Allendale. . . . .1,414. . . . .189,553.36
Anderson. . . . .16,309. . . . .2,087,260.49
Bamberg. . . . .1,967. . . . .294,225.36
Barnwell. . . . .2,346. . . . .255,406.37
Beaufort. . . . .9,497. . . . .1,078,133.13
Berkeley. . . . .6,064. . . . .741,703.03
Calhoun. . . . .1,303. . . . .168,284.32

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