SB332: relative to the retention of long-term care workers and other front line employees.

SB 332 - AS INTRODUCED

2022 SESSION

22-3076

04/05

SENATE BILL 332

AN ACT relative to the retention of long-term care workers and other front line employees.

SPONSORS: Sen. Cavanaugh, Dist 16; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. Whitley, Dist 15; Sen. Sherman, Dist 24; Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Prentiss, Dist 5; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20; Sen. Kahn, Dist 10; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18

COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services

ANALYSIS

This bill establishes the long-term care retention stabilization program of 2022 for services provided by frontline workers employed by certain Medicaid providers, and contracted entities through the developmental services system. The program provides temporary stabilization funding to incentivize frontline workers to remain in or rejoin this workforce during the COVID-19 emergency. The program is repealed on January 1, 2023.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

22-3076

04/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Two

AN ACT relative to the retention of long-term care workers and other front line employees.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 Long-Term Care Retention Stabilization Program.

I. There is hereby established the long-term care retention stabilization program for frontline workers employed by certain Medicaid providers, and contracted entities through the developmental services system, as determined by the department of health and human services. The program shall provide temporary stabilization funding to incentivize frontline workers to remain in or rejoin this critical workforce during the COVID-19 emergency.

II. The program shall be available to frontline workers that provide Medicaid funded services directly to individuals in residential, home, and community settings as well as other frontline workers that have a greater risk of exposure to COVID-19 as a result of their employment. To be eligible, the individual shall have been employed by, or under contract with, a qualifying Medicaid provider. The commissioner of the department of health and human services shall determine which provider types and frontline employees qualify for this program consistent with the provisions of this section.

III. The commissioner of the department of employment security shall develop an application form and deadlines for the program and make such information available on its public Internet website. The commissioner shall use funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 not otherwise appropriated to provide stipends to qualifying frontline workers pursuant to this section.

IV. The commissioner of the department of employment security shall distribute $300 per week in stipends to full-time qualifying frontline workers and $150 per week in stipends to part-time qualifying frontline workers. For purposes of this section, a full-time worker is an individual who works for 30 hours or more per week for an individual employer, and an individual is considered part-time if they work less than 30 hours per week.

2 Repeal. Section 1 of this act, relative to the long-term care retention stabilization program, is repealed.

3 Effective Date:

I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect January 1, 2023.

II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.