2018 -- H 8031

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LC005362

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL JOINT TASK FORCE TO STUDY ELDERLY ABUSE AND

FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION

     Introduced By: Representative Patricia A. Serpa

     Date Introduced: March 30, 2018

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     WHEREAS, Approximately one in ten Americans over age 60 have experienced some

form of elder abuse. Some estimates range as high as 5 million elders who are abused each year.

One study estimated that only one in fourteen cases of abuse are reported to authorities; and

     WHEREAS, One in five Americans over 65 has been victimized by a financial fraud and

a national study determined that financial exploitation costs seniors at least $2.9 billion annually;

and

     WHEREAS, It is in the best interest of the citizens of Rhode Island to convene an Elder

Abuse and Exploitation Task Force to study the prevalence and impact of elder abuse and

exploitation in this state; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That a special Joint Task Force be and the same is hereby created

consisting of nine (9) members: one of whom shall be a member of the Rhode Island House of

Representatives, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be a member of

the Rhode Island Senate, to be appointed by the Senate President; one of whom shall be a

member of the public with significant experience in elder law, to be appointed by the Speaker of

the House; one of whom shall be a representative from an agency that works directly with

victims of elder abuse and/or financial exploitation, to be appointed by the Senate President; one

of whom shall be a member of law enforcement, to be appointed by the Governor; one of whom

shall be the Lieutenant Governor, or designee; one of whom shall be a member with significant

experience working on issues related to elder abuse and/or financial exploitation, to be appointed

by the Attorney General; one of whom shall be the Director of the Division of Elderly Affairs, or

designee; and one of whom shall be the State Director of the AARP-RI, or designee.

     The purpose of said task force shall be to study the prevalence and impact of elder abuse

and exploitation in this state and to make recommendations on policies and legislation to

effectively address the issue impacting seniors and other vulnerable adults.

     The initial appointments shall be made no later than August 1, 2018.

     Members of the Task Force shall meet at the call of the House of Representatives Task

Force member and the Senate Task Force member, and organize and shall select a Chairperson, a

Secretary, and any other officers deemed necessary.

     Vacancies in said task force shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

     Members of the task force shall meet monthly, or more often at the call of the

Chairperson or upon petition of a majority of the task force members.

     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

documentary and otherwise, to said task force and its agents as is deemed necessary or desirable

by the task force to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

suitable quarters for said task force; and be it further,

     RESOLVED, That the task force shall report its findings and recommendations to the

General Assembly no later than February 1, 2019, and said task force shall expire on June 30,

2019.

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EXPLANATION

OF

J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL JOINT TASK FORCE TO STUDY ELDERLY ABUSE AND

FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION

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     This resolution would create a nine (9) member special joint task force whose purpose it

would be to make a comprehensive study on the prevalence and impact of elder abuse and

exploitation in this state and to make recommendations on policies and legislation to effectively

address the issue, and who would report back to the general assembly no later than February 1,

2019, and whose life would expire on June 30, 2019.

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LC005362

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