A bill to license and regulate community living homes has passed the state House and now heads to the Senate.

House Bill 1040 was brought to the Legislature by the Committee on Health and Human Services at the request of the state Department of Health. SDAHO supports the bill, which passed 50-17.

The legislation defines a community living home as any family-style residence whose owner or operator is engaged in the business of providing individualized and independent residential community living supports for compensation to at least one unrelated adult, but no more than four adults, and provides one or more regularly scheduled health related or support services, either administered directly or in collaboration with an outside health care provider.

Rep. Jean Hunhoff, R-Yankton, speaking in support of the bill, said community living homes can provide another level of alternative care for seniors.

Rep. Steven Haugaard, R-Sioux Falls, speaking in opposition, said the state doesn’t need to be supervising and regulating such living arrangements.