PIERRE, S.D.(KJJQ)- One of the key topics for the Long Term Care Study Committee of the South Dakota Legislature will likely be the moratorium on nursing home beds in the state. That’s been in place since 1988 and caps the total number of beds at less than 71-hundred statewide.

A subcommittee of the long term care panel is looking at regulations.  That group is chaired by Representative Linda Duba of Sioux Falls. She says they discussed the moratorium extensively during their Monday meeting.

Governor George Mickelson proposed the original moratorium, hoping it would lead to innovations in long term care and allow people to stay in their homes longer.

Duba says there are more options now.

She says they plan to dive deeper into the law.

Duba says the Department of Health does all kinds of reporting connected to the moratorium.

The Long Term Care Committee meets again next month.