SENIOR ASSEMBLY PROPOSAL NO. 25
INTRODUCED BY SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER PURCELL
(COAUTHORS: SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBERS BEIGHLE AND KIRWIN)
(COAUTHOR: SENIOR SENATOR JONES)
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AP 25: FUNDING OF CONGREGATE AND HOME-DELIVERED MEALS.
UNDER EXISTING LAW, CONGREGATE NUTRITION PROGRAMS, LIKE THOSE RUN BY SENIOR CENTERS, AND HOME-DELIVERED MEAL PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED BY THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO IMPROVE THE NUTRITION OF SENIORS. UNDER EXISTING LAW, SERVICES FOR BOTH PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED THROUGH A NETWORK OF 33 AREA AGENCIES ON AGING AND THEIR CONTRACTED SERVICE PROVIDERS.
THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD SHORTEN OR ELIMINATE THE WAIT TIME FOR SENIORS TO RECEIVE CONGREGATE AND HOME-DELIVERED MEAL PROGRAMS AND IMPROVE THE NUTRITION OF SENIORS BY AUTHORIZING THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF AGING TO ACCEPT DONATIONS FROM PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURERS AND DISPENSERS THAT EARN SIGNIFICANT PROFITS FROM SENIORS’ BUSINESS, THEREBY POTENTIALLY INCREASING THE FUNDING FOR THESE MEAL PROGRAMS.
VOTE: MAJORITY.
AP 25: RELATING TO FUNDING OF CONGREGATE AND HOME DELIVERED MEALS FOR SENIORS
WHEREAS, CONGREGATE NUTRITION PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED BY TITLE III C-1 OF THE FEDERAL OLDER AMERICANS ACT (OAA) OF 1965, AS AMENDED IN 2000, THE STATE GENERAL FUND, PARTICIPANT DONATIONS, AND LOCAL FUNDS; AND
WHEREAS, HOME-DELIVERED MEALS ARE FUNDED BY TITLE III C-2 OF THE OAA, THE STATE GENERAL FUND, PARTICIPANT DONATIONS, LOCAL FUNDS, GRANTS, AND NONPARTICIPANT DONATIONS. TITLE III C-2 HAS A 5% STATE MATCHING REQUIREMENT. FIVE MILLION DOLLARS WAS ALSO APPROPRIATED TO THE PROGRAM THROUGH THE SENIOR NUTRITION MAINTENANCE AND HOME‑DELIVERED MEALS ACT OF 1984. AREA AGENCIES ON AGING ALSO PROVIDE MATCHING PLUS ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO THE PROGRAM; AND
WHEREAS, IN SOME COUNTIES, EVEN SENIORS WHO ARE VERY SICK MUST WAIT FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME BEFORE RECEIVING HOME-DELIVERED MEALS. A 2008 SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF AGING SHOWS THAT, AT ONE TIME, THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA, THERE WERE OVER 1,400 SENIORS ON WAIT LISTS FOR CONGREGATE MEALS AND OVER 2,400 ON WAIT LISTS ON HOME-DELIVER MEALS; AND
WHEREAS, A GROWING NUMBER OF SENIORS ARE LIVING ON FIXED INCOMES AND STRUGGLING TO STAY OUT OF NURSING HOMES AND OUT OF DEBT ON THEIR HOMES OR CREDIT CARDS. THE COST OF RENT HAS INCREASED, FOOD PRICES HAVE INCREASED BY 60 PERCENT, AND ENERGY COSTS HAVE INCREASED BY 40 PERCENT IN THE LAST YEAR; AND
WHEREAS, IN MOST COMMUNITIES, SOME SENIORS ARE GOING
HUNGRY BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD MEALS AND ARE NUTRITIONALLY AT RISK. A LACK OF
NUTRITIOUS MEALS LEADS
TO HEALTH PROBLEMS FROM MALNOURISHMENT TO DEPRESSION; AND
WHEREAS, TO AVOID BECOMING NUTRITIONALLY AT RISK, SENIORS MUST CONTINUE TO RECEIVE HEALTHY MEALS EITHER ON THEIR OWN, OR THROUGH CONGREGATE MEAL PROGRAMS OR HOME‑DELIVERED MEALS; AND
WHEREAS, THERE IS A NEED FOR MORE CONGREGATE MEAL PROGRAMS, HOME-DELIVERED MEALS, AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO PAY FOR THE INCREASED MEALS; AND
WHEREAS, MANY PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURERS AND DISPENSERS EARN SIGNIFICANT PROFITS FROM SENIORS, HAVE SENIORS AS THE LARGEST PORTION OF THEIR CLIENT BASE, AND COULD DONATE A SMALL PORTION OF THEIR PROFITS TO OFFSET THE COSTS OF MEALS FOR SENIORS; 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 CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF AGING BE AUTHORIZED TO ACCEPT DONATIONS FROM PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURERS AND DISPENSERS THAT EARN SIGNIFICANT PROFITS FROM SENIORS, TO POTENTIALLY INCREASE FUNDING FOR CONGREGATE AND HOME‑DELIVERED MEAL PROGRAMS, AND TO IMPROVE THE NUTRITION OF SENIORS; AND BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED, THAT THE DONATIONS MADE BY THE MANUFACTURERS AND DISPENSERS WILL BE SENT TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF AGING TO BE DISTRIBUTED, ACCORDING TO NEED, AMONG THE AREA AGENCIES ON AGING; 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, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
RN 08 22007
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