Source: https://ribit.rofreg.com/legislations/5148
Timestamp: 2019-08-20 11:44:15
Document Index: 739892335

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 42', 'art 40', '§ 42', '§ 42', '§ 42', '§ 42', '§ 42', '§ 1361']

Senate Bill #147 (2019)
AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND LIVABLE HOME MODIFICATION ACT
2019-01-24: Introduced, referred to Senate Housing and Municipal Government
2019 – S 0147
2019 – S 0147 SUBSTITUTE A
LC000790
LC000790/SUB A
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT – RHODE ISLAND LIVABLE
Introduced By: Senators Felag, Ciccone, Gallo, Conley, and Seveney
(1) "Accessibility features"means and includes the following:
(v) Accessible light switches, electricaloutlets and environmental controls;
(xi) All accessibility features shallmeet the specifications of an existing standard.
(3) "Disability" as defined in § 42-87-1 ("definitions of disability").
(5) "Existing standards" means and includes adaptability features prescribed by the Rhode Island state building code, the specifications of the American NationalStandards Institute, the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (24 C.F.R. Part 40), or Fair Housing Accessibility Guidelines (24 C.F.R. chapter 100).
(8) "Sensory modification" means alarms, appliances and controls designed to assist sensory disabled individuals that are structurally integrated into the residential unit, thereby becoming a permanent part of the structure to the residentialunit, excluding therefrom appliances or alarms that can be removed and/or reinstalled, and thus reused, in another residence.
(a) Any eligible resident, who retrofits or hires an individual to retrofit an existing residence, provided that such retrofitting meets the qualification criteria and guidelines as established in § 42-51.1-5, and meets the eligibility requirements established by guidelines developed by the commission, shall be eligible for a livable home modification grant of fifty percent (50%) of the total amount spent, not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000). The grant shall be allowed for the state fiscal year in which the retrofitting or renovation of the residence structure or unit has been completed.
(b) The grant required by this chapter shall require application by the resident who has a
LC000790/SUB A - Page 2of 6 disability, caregiver or guardian as provided in § 42-51.1-6.
(a) In order to qualify for a grant under this chapter, retrofitting of an existing residential unit must include at least one accessibility feature as defined in § 42-51.1-1 and meet the requirements of an existing standard as defined in § 42-51.1-1 or provide sensory modifications as defined in § 42-51.1-1.
(b) The eligible resident's income in the prior year must not be greater than one hundred twenty percent(120%) of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development's Area Median Income for Rhode Island. For purposes of this section, only the resident who has the disability or the caregiver's earnings, not the household income, determines qualification for a grant.
(c) If the eligible resident who has the disability was not required to file a federal tax return in the prior year, the resident is automatically eligible for a livable home modification grant, so long as they are not eligible for accessibility modifications funded through other local, state or federalprograms.
(c) All applications must be submitted and approved by the commission prior to the start of retrofitting activities to an existing residence.
(1) The commission may accept applications after the construction, retrofit, or renovation has begun if delaying construction would have prevented the applicant from:
(i) Being discharged to a private residence from a health care facility; or
(ii) Being able to attend health care appointments following their diagnosis; or
(iii) Being able to return to a private residence following the qualifying diagnosis.
(d) Post-retrofit documentation must be submitted and received by the commission no later than July 10 of the next fiscalyear.
(a) Grants shall be allowed under this chapter for the retrofitting or renovation of
LC000790/SUB A - Page 3of 6 residential rentalproperty provided that the owner agreed to maintain access for ten (10) years.
(3) S Corporations established under Subchapter S of Chapter 1 of the InternalRevenue Code (26 U.S.C. §§ 1361 et seq.);
(c) Accessibility modifications that are eligible to be funded through local, state or federalprograms are not eligible for grants.
(d) No credit shall be allowed under this chapter for the purchase or construction of residential rentalproperty.
By August 15 of each year, the commission shallsubmit an annualreport to the governor, speaker of the house, senate president, and chairpersons of the house and senate finance committees for the period from July 1 to June 30 on the actual:
(3) Totaldollar amount of grants issued;
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. ======== LC000790 ========
This act would take effect upon passage. ======== LC000790 ========
(i) Increased likelihood of falls and other related emergency room, hospital and/or
LC000790/SUB A - Page 4of 6 rehabilitation expenses;
SECTION 2. This act shalltake effect upon passage. ======== LC000790/SUB A ========
LC000790/SUB A - Page 5of 6
This act would establish the Rhode Island Livable Home Modification Grant which allows eligible homeowners and renters to retrofit their residence to nationally recognized accessibility standards and receive fifty percent (50%) of the totalsum spent, up to five thousand dollars ($5,000), to retrofit such existing residence. Such retrofitting of an existing residence will allow an individual with disabilities to remain safely and independently within their residence and out of long-term care facilities, while reducing falls and other related emergency room, hospital and/or rehabilitation expenses.
This act would take effect upon passage. ======== LC000790/SUB A ========
LC000790/SUB A - Page 6of 6
May 09, 2019 at 4:37pm
Sen. Euer NV