2025 -- H 6217

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- OFFICE OF HEALTHY AGING

     Introduced By: Representative Lauren H. Carson

     Date Introduced: April 09, 2025

     Referred To: House Finance

     (by request)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 42-66 of the General Laws entitled "Office of Healthy Aging" is

hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     42-66-18. Grants for community older adult services.

     (a) Establishment and purpose. In recognition of the continued growth in the number of

persons age sixty-five (65) and older living in the community, there is hereby established within

the office of healthy aging, a community grant program for older adult services whose purpose is

to provide financial assistance and incentives to municipal governments and nonprofit agencies to

operate programs, including senior centers, community resource centers primarily serving older

adults, and other programs providing services that help older residents to remain living in the

community. Such services shall include, but are not limited to, outreach, social services, health

promotion, physical fitness, recreation, life-long learning, transportation assistance and caregiver

support services for persons age sixty-five (65) and older.

     (b) Appropriations. For fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter, the total amount

of funds appropriated for the grant program for community older adult services shall be that amount

needed to award each municipality a minimum grant of five thousand dollars ($5,000) or the sum

of ten dollars ($10.00) per each non-institutionalized resident age sixty-five (65) and older residing

in the community as reported by the most recent U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey

five (5) year population estimate as its basic grant; provided, however, for fiscal year 2026, no

community shall receive less than the fiscal year 2025 state grant awarded for such purposes by the

office. In the event that the municipality does not directly operate local programs for older adults,

the office shall, in consultation with the municipality's chief elected or appointed official or the

official's designee, distribute and award the municipality's basic grant to community nonprofit

agencies which are operating senior centers, community resource centers primarily serving older

adults and other programs that assist older persons to remain living in the community.

     (c) Eligibility. To be eligible for a community older adult program grant, a municipality or

nonprofit agency shall:

     (1) Contribute an equal amount of cash or in-kind resources for program support that it

provided in state fiscal year 2025;

     (2) Submit to the office for its approval a plan detailing the programs and/or services to be

provided with grant funds;

     (3) Indicate how the proposed plan meets the needs of local older adults;

     (4) Show how the local share match will be met; and

     (5) Demonstrate that there exists with the local senior center or municipality, or there are

plans to establish, a local older adult advisory committee whose membership shall include a

majority of persons age sixty-five (65) and older and whose purpose shall be to provide advice to

local officials and members of the general assembly whose districts lie within the municipality on

the service needs and interests of persons age sixty five (65) and older.

     (d) In approving grant proposals. In approving community older adult grant proposals, the

office shall take into consideration how the spending plan addresses the municipality’s

comprehensive plan as it relates to services and programs for older adults and the goals and

objectives of the most recent state plan on aging as submitted to the Federal Administration on

Aging.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- OFFICE OF HEALTHY AGING

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     This act would establish within the office of healthy aging a community grant program for

older adult services with a minimum grant of five thousand dollars ($5,000) or ten dollars ($10.00)

per non-institutionalized community resident sixty-five (65) and older according to the U.S Census

Bureau.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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