2023 -- H 5524

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LC001259

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO MILITARY AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE -- RHODE ISLAND VETERANS'

HOME

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Azzinaro, and Kennedy

     Date Introduced: February 10, 2023

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 30-24-10 of the General Laws in Chapter 30-24 entitled "Rhode

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Island Veterans’ Home" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     30-24-10. Admissible to home — Fees.

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     (a) Any person who has served in the army, navy, marine corps, coast guard, or air force

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of the United States for a period of ninety (90) days or more and that period began or ended during

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any foreign war in which the United States shall have been engaged or in any expedition or

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campaign for which the United States government issues a campaign medal, and who was

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honorably discharged from it, and who shall be deemed to be in need of care provided at the Rhode

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Island veterans’ home, may be admitted to that facility subject to such rules and regulations as shall

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be adopted by the director of human services to govern the admission of applicants to the facility.

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Any person who has served in the armed forces of the United States designated herein and otherwise

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qualified, who has served less than the ninety-day (90) period described in this section, and who

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was honorably discharged from service, and who, as a result of the service, acquired a service-

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connected disability or disease, may be admitted. No person shall be admitted to the facility unless

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the person has been accredited to the enlistment or induction quota of the state or has resided in the

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state for at least two (2) consecutive years next prior to the date of the application for admission to

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the facility.

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     (b)(1) The director shall, at the end of each fiscal year, determine the net, per-diem

 

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expenses of maintenance of residents in the facility and shall assess against each resident who has

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“net income”, as defined in this section, a fee equal to eighty percent (80%) fifty percent (50%) of

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the resident’s net income, provided that fee shall not exceed the actual cost of care and maintenance

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for the resident; and provided that an amount equal to twenty percent (20%) of the maintenance fee

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assessed shall be allocated to, and deposited in, the veterans’ restricted account. For the purposes

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of this section, “net income” is defined as gross income minus applicable federal and state taxes

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and minus:

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     (i) An amount equal to one hundred fifty dollars ($150) per month of residency and fifty

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percent (50%) of any sum received due to wounds incurred under battle conditions for which the

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resident received the purple heart; and

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     (ii) The amount paid by a resident for the support and maintenance of his or her spouse,

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parent(s), minor child(ren), or child(ren) who is/are blind or permanently and totally disabled as

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defined in title XVI of the Federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1381 — 1383d, subject to a

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maximum amount to be determined by rules and regulations as shall be adopted by the director.

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     (2) The fees shall be paid monthly to the home and any failure to make payment when due

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shall be cause for dismissal from the facility. Prior to dismissal, the resident shall be afforded

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administrative due process.

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     (c) Admissions to the veterans’ home shall be made without discrimination as to race,

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color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, marital status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity

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or expression, assets, or income.

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     (d) Laundry services shall be provided to the residents of the Rhode Island veterans’ home

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at no charge to the residents, with such funds to cover the cost of providing laundry services for

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residents of the Rhode Island veterans’ home derived from monies appropriated to the department

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of human services.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO MILITARY AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE -- RHODE ISLAND VETERANS'

HOME

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     This act would reduce the assessment against a resident's net income from eighty percent

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(80%) to fifty percent (50%).

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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