Home Comfort Act.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 348

Short Title: Home Comfort Act. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Theodros, Robinson, and Applewhite (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
March 20, 2025
*S348-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN 2
SERVICES, DIVISION O F AGING, TO ESTABLIS H A HOME MODIFICATIO N 3
GRANT PROGRAM AND TO EXPAND STATE -FUNDED SUPPORTIVE SERVICES 4
TO HELP SENIORS SAFELY AGE IN PLACE WITH COMFORT AND DIGNITY. 5
Whereas, North Carolina's population of senior citizens is growing, necessitating 6
expanded home-based care and State-funded financial assistance to enable them to age in place 7
comfortably at home; and 8
Whereas, assisting senior citizens with necessary home modifications and in -home 9
support services will promote greater independence and safety, which are linked to a higher 10
quality of life; and 11
Whereas, Article XI, Section 4 of the North Carolina Constitution establishes the 12
State's duty to provide for the welfare of its most vulnerable citizens; Now, therefore, 13
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 14
15
PART I. TITLE 16
SECTION 1.1. This act shall be known as "The Home Comfort Act." 17
18
PART II. DEFINITIONS 19
SECTION 2.1. The following definitions apply in this act: 20
(1) Department. – The Department of Health and Human Services, Division of 21
Aging. 22
(2) Eligible senior. – A resident of North Carolina who is 65 years of age or older 23
with a household income at or below two hundred fifty percent (250%) of the 24
federal poverty level. 25
26
PART III. HOME MODIFICATION GRANT PROGRAM 27
SECTION 3.1.(a) Effective July 1, 2025, there is appropriated from the General 28
Fund to the Department the sum of seven million dollars ($7,000,000) in recurring funds for each 29
year of the 2025 -2027 fiscal biennium to establish and administer a Home Modification Grant 30
Program (Program). The purpose of the Program is to provide State -funded financial assistance 31
to eligible seniors to make essential home modific ations to a primary residence to improve 32
accessibility and safety, including, but not limited to, all of the following: 33
(1) Installation of wheelchair ramps. 34
(2) Bathroom safety improvements, such as grab bars and walk-in showers. 35
(3) Widening of doorways for mobility assistance. 36
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 348-First Edition
(4) Stairlifts and handrail installations. 1
SECTION 3.1.(b) The Department shall establish an application process and 2
eligibility criteria for participation in the Program. In addition, the Department shall make the 3
final decision about the amount of financial assistance to award to each eligible senior and the 4
specific essential home modifications approved, subject to all of the following requirements: 5
(1) Each recipient of financial assistance under the Program shall meet at least all 6
of the following criteria: 7
a. Is 65 years of age or older. 8
b. Has a household income at or below two hundred fifty percent (250%) 9
of the federal poverty level. 10
(2) No single household may receive more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) in 11
financial assistance. 12
(3) In selecting eligible seniors for financial assistance, the Department shall give 13
priority to eligible seniors residing in rural and underserved communities. 14
(4) Program participants are required to engage contractors who hold a valid 15
North Carolina general contractor's license to perform the essential home 16
modifications funded by the Program, and the Department shall give priority 17
to contractors who are certified aging-in-place specialists or Americans With 18
Disabilities Act-certified contractors. 19
SECTION 3.1.(c) The Department may use up to five percent (5%) of the funds 20
authorized by this section for each fiscal year for administrative purposes associated with 21
administering the Program. 22
SECTION 3.2. The Department shall begin accepting applications for the Program 23
on or before January 1, 2026. 24
25
PART IV. SUPPORTIVE IN-HOME SERVICES 26
SECTION 4.1. Effective July 1, 2025, there is appropriated to the Department the 27
sum of forty-two million two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($42,250,000) in recurring funds for 28
each year of the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium to be allocated and used for all of the following: 29
(1) To provide increased funding for existing programs that aid eligible seniors 30
with their daily activities, personal care, and household maintenance. 31
(2) To provide State -funded financial assistance to eligible seniors for home 32
health agency services. As used in this section, a home health agency is an 33
agency certified to receive Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement for 34
providing nursing care, therapy, medical social services, and home health aide 35
services. 36
(3) To provide grants to Area Agencies on Aging, county departments of social 37
services, and local health departments to implement or expand home care 38
independence services for eligible seniors to help them to remain safely in 39
their home settings. 40
(4) To establish a Caregiver Assistance Program that provides a monthly stipend 41
of up to five hundred dollars ($500.00) to a family member who provides 42
in-home care to an eligible senior. The Department shall establish an 43
application process and eligibility criteria for participation in the Caregiver 44
Assistance Program. In addition, the Department shall determine the amount 45
of the monthly stipend for each applicant. In determining the amount of the 46
monthly stipend, the Department shall consider an assessment of care needs 47
performed by a licensed physician. Each recipient of financial assistance 48
under the Caregiver Assistance Program shall meet at least all of the following 49
criteria: 50
a. Is 65 years of age or older. 51
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Senate Bill 348-First Edition Page 3
b. Has a household income at or below two hundred fifty percent (250%) 1
of the federal poverty level. 2
3
PART V. AGING-IN-PLACE RESOURCES 4
SECTION 5.1. Effective July 1, 2025, there is appropriated from the General Fund 5
to the Department the sum of seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) in recurring funds 6
for each year of the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium and the sum of one million five hundred thousand 7
dollars ($1,500,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to be allocated and used 8
as follows: 9
(1) One million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) in nonrecurring funds 10
for the 2025 -2026 fiscal year to develop and implement a statewide hotline 11
and online portal to assist eligible seniors with navigating the programs 12
included in the aging -in-place resource guide developed pursuant to 13
sub-subdivision (2)b. of this section. The Department shall work toward 14
making the hotline and online portal fully operational by December 1, 2026. 15
(2) Seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,00 0) in recurring funds for each 16
year of the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium to accomplish both of the following: 17
a. To pay for ongoing operational expenses and maintenance associated 18
with the statewide hotline and online portal implemented pursuant to 19
subdivision (1) of this section. 20
b. To develop, update annually, and distribute free of charge to eligible 21
seniors and their families an aging -in-place resource guide that 22
contains information, guidance, and planning support regarding home 23
adaptations, long -term care options, safety assessments, and 24
State-funded programs to assist eligible seniors with aging in place at 25
home, including the Home Modification Grant Program established by 26
Section 3.1 of this act. 27
28
PART VI. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS 29
SECTION 6.1. Annually by April 1, beginning April 1, 2027, the Department shall 30
submit a report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services and 31
the Fiscal Research Division on the use of the funds appropriated by this act during the preceding 32
fiscal year. Except as otherwise provided, each report shall include at least all of the following: 33
(1) For the first report due on April 1, 2027, an explanation of the eligibility 34
criteria established by the Department for any newly established programs. 35
(2) The total number of grants awarded to Area Agencies on Aging, county 36
departments of social services, and local health departments to implement or 37
expand home care independence services for eligible seniors to help them to 38
remain safely in their home settings; the identity of each grant recipient; and 39
the amount of grant funds awarded to each recipient. 40
(3) The total amount of State financial assistance awarded to eligible seniors 41
pursuant to this act, broken down by program. 42
(4) The specific home modifications funded for each Home Modification Grant 43
recipient and the costs associated with these modifications. 44
45
PART VII. EFFECTIVE DATE 46
SECTION 7.1. Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes 47
law. 48