As Reported by the House Workforce and Higher Education Committee

136th General Assembly

Regular Session Sub. H. B. No. 530

2025-2026

Representatives Brewer, Salvo

Cosponsors: Representatives Brennan, Troy, Glassburn, McNally, Jarrells, Synenberg, Lett, Young, Miller, J.

To establish the Long-term Care Workforce Study Commission.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. (A) The legislative Long-term Care Workforce Study Commission is established. The Commission shall do all of the following:

(1) Study the direct care and long-term care workforce in this state, review the findings and considerations contained in the 2022 final report of the Direct Care Workforce Expansion Working Group, and make policy recommendations in each of the following areas:

(a) Measuring current demand for direct care workers and projecting future needs of that workforce, including evaluating available workforce data and identifying gaps in data collection related to workforce supply, vacancy rates, turnover rates, and projected workforce demand;

(b) Developing a campaign and statewide recruitment strategies to encourage individuals to join the facility-based and home and community-based long-term care workforce;

(c) Supporting career ladders throughout various long-term care settings;

(d) Identifying educational needs and methods to fill those needs for direct care workers, including establishing a program to provide contributions to the postsecondary education of long-term care direct care workers in related fields;

(e) Identifying barriers to hiring direct care workers and methods to overcome those barriers;

(f) Developing strategies to improve the quality of long-term care jobs;

(g) Increasing opportunities for shared staffing among long-term care providers;

(h) Making recommendations regarding potential funding mechanisms and the feasibility of pilot programs regarding the direct care workforce, such as: pooling hours worked by part-time home care workers for purposes of providing greater employment opportunity and access to employee benefits; expanding access to postsecondary education in relevant fields for direct care workers; and evaluating potential pilot initiatives related to workforce recruitment, training pipeline partnerships with career centers and postsecondary institutions, workforce navigator programs, shared staffing models among providers, and the use of assistive technology to support caregivers and individuals receiving services. Recommendations regarding funding mechanisms or pilot initiatives shall be advisory in nature and shall not require the appropriation of state funds.

(2) Hear testimony from interested parties and members of the public in producing the report;

(3) Not later than October 31, 2027, issue a report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly in accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised Code.

Upon completion of the final report, the Commission shall present its findings and recommendations to relevant committees of the General Assembly. It also shall transmit the report to the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the President of the Senate.

(B)(1) The Commission shall consist of the following members:

(a) Six members of the General Assembly, as follows:

(i) Three members of the Senate, two from the majority party, each appointed by the President of the Senate, and one from the minority party, appointed by the President in consultation with the Senate Minority Leader;

(ii) Three members of the House of Representatives, two from the majority party, each appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and one from the minority party, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives in consultation with the House Minority Leader;

(b) The following members who possess expertise in long-term care workforce issues, as follows:

(i) A representative of a statewide association representing direct care workers, appointed by the President of the Senate;

(ii) A representative of a statewide association representing providers of home and community-based long-term care services, appointed by the President of the Senate;

(iii) A representative of a statewide association representing facility based long-term care providers, appointed by the President of the Senate;

(iv) A representative of a statewide association representing nonprofit housing and senior service programming, appointed by the President of the Senate;

(v) A representative of a statewide organization providing services to individuals with intellectual or developmental disability, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(vi) A representative of a statewide organization representing service coordination agencies serving individuals receiving home and community-based services, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(vii) A representative of a statewide association representing long-term care services and support providers for seniors, including facility-based and home and community-based providers, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(viii) A representative of a statewide organization representing consumers participating in home and community-based services, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(ix) A consumer participating in a home and community-based services waiver administered by the Department of Medicaid, appointed by the President of the Senate.

(2) The following shall serve as nonvoting members of the Commission:

(a) The Director of Aging, or the Director's designee;

(b) The Director of Developmental Disabilities, or the Director's designee;

(c) The Director of Veterans Services, or the Director's designee.

(C)(1) Members of the Commission shall be appointed not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. A vacancy in the membership of the Commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. Members shall serve without compensation.

(2) The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each appoint one majority member to serve as co-chairpersons of the Commission. The Commission shall meet no fewer than six times prior to submitting the report required by division (A)(3) of this section and may meet more frequently as determined necessary by the co-chairpersons.

(3) The Commission shall hold its first meeting not later than thirty days after a majority of members have been appointed.

(D) Staff of the General Assembly shall provide technical and administrative support as needed by the Commission.

(E) When it submits its recommendations described in division (A)(3) of this section, the Commission shall cease to exist.