Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, January 27, 1995                   TAG: 9501270051
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV12   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                  LENGTH: Short

COMMITTEE OKS NURSING HOME EXEMPTION

The House Health, Welfare & Institutions Committee unanimously approved Del. Jim Shuler's bill to grant Warm Hearth an exemption from the state's moratorium on the construction of new nursing homes.

The Blacksburg Democrat made the case for the bill before the 20-member committee, which includes Del. Tommy Baker, R-Dublin.

Before getting out of committee, however, a Richmond-area Democrat managed to tack another nursing home exemption on to the bill. Del. Jay DeBoer, D-Dinwiddie, a committee member, added a waiver for Our Lady of Hope Health Center, located in the Richmond area, a Shuler aide said.

The amended bill now will go to the House floor for a first reading, probably early next week.

The nonprofit Warm Hearth Village, a retirement community with 300 residents located on the southwest edge of Blacksburg, is seeking state approval to build a 60-bed nursing home its officials say is necessary to keep pace with a growing need in the New River Valley.

At Warm Hearth, the nursing home would add to the different levels of housing and care now available, which include independent town houses, high-rise apartment buildings and an assisted living center.

Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1995