SENIOR ASSEMBLY PROPOSAL NO. 16

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER L.YOUNG

(COAUTHORS: SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBERS TUCKER AND WIECK)

(COAUTHORS: SENIOR SENATORS FROMM, LEVY, AND B.YOUNG)

 

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AP 16: CALIFORNIA ELDER ECONOMIC SECURITY STANDARD INDEX.

UNDER EXISTING LAW, VARIOUS STATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS SET FORTH ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS BASED ON, AMONG OTHER THINGS, HOUSEHOLD INCOME.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD EXPRESS ELIGIBILITY FOR MEANS-TESTED BENEFIT PROGRAMS SERVING SENIORS AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE COUNTY-SPECIFIC ELDER ECONOMIC SECURITY STANDARD INDEX IN ORDER TO PROVIDE INFORMATION NEEDED TO ACCURATELY EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF EXISTING POLICIES, TO MAKE MORE INFORMED PUBLIC INVESTMENTS, AND TO MEASURE ECONOMIC NEEDS OF CALIFORNIANS.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

 

AP 16: RELATING TO THE CALIFORNIA ELDER ECONOMIC SECURITY STANDARD INDEX

WHEREAS, DESPITE POLICY AND PROGRAM EFFORTS, MANY ELDERS IN CALIFORNIA STRUGGLE TO MEET THEIR BASIC LIVING EXPENSES, AND

WHEREAS, THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES ARE OFTEN USED TO DETERMINE INCOME ELIGIBILITY FOR PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES TO COMMUNITIES; AND

WHEREAS, THE OFFICIAL FEDERAL MEASURE OF POVERTY IS BASED ON AN OUTDATED APPROACH THAT EMPLOYS CONSUMPTION SURVEYS OF THE 1950S, AND DOES NOT ACCURATELY REFLECT 21ST CENTURY COSTS OF LIVING AND THE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER COSTS OF LIVING IN CALIFORNIA; AND

WHEREAS, THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL FOR A SINGLE PERSON IN 2007 WAS AN ANNUAL INCOME OF $10,210, AND FOR AN OLDER COUPLE IT WAS $13,690; AND

WHEREAS, IN CALIFORNIA 8 PERCENT OF PEOPLE OVER AGE 65 HAVE INCOMES BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL (“FPL”) AND 29 PERCENT HAVE INCOMES BELOW 200 PERCENT OF THE FPL; AND

WHEREAS, ELDERS WHOSE INCOMES EXCEED THE FPL ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR MANY PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, YET THEY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH INCOME TO MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS; AND

WHEREAS, THE CALIFORNIA ELDER ECONOMIC SECURITY STANDARD INDEX DOCUMENTS THAT AN INCOME OF 100 PERCENT OF THE FPL COVERS LESS THAN HALF OF THE BASIC COSTS OF LIVING EXPERIENCED BY ADULTS AGE 65 AND OLDER IN THE STATE; AND

WHEREAS, THE ELDER ECONOMIC SECURITY STANDARD INDEX PROVIDES A FOUNDATION FOR A MORE INFORMED ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC POLICIES AND PROPOSALS AND WOULD ENABLE SERVICE PROVIDERS, FOUNDATIONS, AND PUBLIC AGENCIES TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF THEIR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR THE GROWING POPULATION OF OLDER ADULTS IN CALIFORNIA; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY AND THE SENIOR SENATE, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2008 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD EXPRESS ELIGIBILITY FOR MEANS-TESTED BENEFIT PROGRAMS SERVING SENIORS AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE COUNTY-SPECIFIC ELDER ECONOMIC SECURITY STANDARD INDEX IN ORDER TO PROVIDE INFORMATION NEEDED TO ACCURATELY EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF EXISTING POLICIES, TO MAKE MORE INFORMED PUBLIC INVESTMENTS, AND TO MEASURE ECONOMIC NEEDS OF CALIFORNIANS; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, THE CHAIRS OF THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON AGING AND LONG-TERM CARE, ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, THE SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE ON AGING AND LONG-TERM CARE, THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICE, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

 

RN 08 21989

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