The French Senate ratified the society adaptation to ageing law at First Reading

From Tuesday, 17^th to Thursday, 19^th March, 2015, the French Senate analysed and adopted the society adaptation to ageing law.

The law text was adopted at First Reading, with 178 votes in favor and none against.

According to the government, this law’s main purpose is “to come as an answer to the French people concerns and to anticipate the consequences of ageing on social life and public politics in general, since in 2060 one third of the French population will be over 60 years old. Moreover, in 2060, 5 million French people will be over 85 years old; today they represent 1.4 million people”.

The law text was built around three main lines of action: anticipating autonomy loss (1^st Section), adjusting society to the ageing process (2^nd Section) and accompanying autonomy (3^rd Section). The three other sections are dedicated to the governing (4^th Section), law enforcement on overseas departments (5^th Section) and transitional and final provisions (6^th Section).

On Wednesday, 4th of March, the French Senate examined Georges Labasée (SOC Pyrénées-Atlantiques)’s and Gérard Roche (UDI-UC – Haute-Loire)’s report. Following the analysis, a commission text was adopted. This Social Affairs Committee aims to:

• Strengthen the financing of this draft law, by pointing out the expenses its adoption will need;
• Adopt an additional article (Article 15 bis A) setting the legal framework of senior rental residences, also known as “second generation residences”
  
• Mark a new step towards the reform of the home care system, by creating an unique authorization system within 5 years to help disabled and aged people. It will take into consideration the recommendations proposed by Jean-Marie Vanlerenberghe’s and Dominique Watrin’s report concerning home care (Article 32 bis – updated).

Senators have brought changes to the draft law especially concerning the following facts:

• Inserting an additional article to the current Article 15 bis A, in order to ease habitat rehabilitation at the tenant’s expenses (amendment 283 on behalf of the Social Security Committee.)
• Modifying Article 32 bis, which reinforces home care. Following the amendment, this Article will only be applied if it is preceded by an experiment led in three French departments, conducted by a working team and analyzed before June, 30^th 2018 (amendment 287 on behalf of the Social Security Committee).
• Ratifying Article 46, which proposes the creation of the High Council of Age. During the session, senators didn’t adopt the Government Amendment, which changed it into the High Council of the Family and the Elderly. Instead, senators ratified two amendments: they aim to join a new perspective regarding the means that may be developed for the dependency insurance to the High Council’s missions (Amendment 43 – updated).

Senators expressed themselves on the whole law text, which they ratified, at First Reading with 178 votes in favor and none against.