SENIOR ASSEMBLY FEDERAL PROPOSAL NO. 3

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER L. YOUNG

(COAUTHORS: SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBERS TUCKER AND WIECK)

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

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AFP 3: FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES

UNDER EXISTING LAW, THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES ARE USED TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY FOR VARIOUS PUBLIC PROGRAMS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM, SUBSIDIZED PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE UNDER THE MEDICARE PROGRAM, THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK
GRANT PROGRAM, AND THE SENIOR COMMUNITY SERVICE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD REEVALUATE AND ADJUST THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES TO MORE ACCURATELY REFLECT SENIORS’ BASIC COSTS OF LIVING.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

AFP 3: RELATING TO FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES

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

WHEREAS, THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES (FPL) ARE OFTEN USED TO DETERMINE INCOME ELIGIBILITY FOR PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND IN ALLOCATING RESOURCES TO COMMUNITIES;
AND

WHEREAS, THE OFFICIAL FEDERAL MEASURE OF POVERTY IS BASED ON AN OUTDATED APPROACH THAT USED CONSUMPTION SURVEYS FROM THE 1950S. AS A RESULT, THIS MEASURE DOES NOT ACCURATELY REFLECT 21ST CENTURY COSTS OF LIVING OR THE PARTICULARLY HIGHER COSTS OF LIVING IN CALIFORNIA; AND

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

WHEREAS, IN CALIFORNIA, 8 PERCENT OF PEOPLE OVER 65 YEARS OF AGE HAVE INCOMES BELOW THE FPL AND 29 PERCENT HAVE INCOMES BELOW 200 PERCENT OF THE FPL; AND

WHEREAS, ELDERS WHOSE INCOMES EXCEED THE FPL OFTEN LACK SUFFICIENT INCOME TO MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS BUT ARE INELIGIBLE FOR MANY PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS; AND

WHEREAS, THE NEW ELDER ECONOMIC SECURITY STANDARD INDEX FOR CALIFORNIA (ELDER STANDARD INDEX) PROVIDES AN ACCURATE MEASUREMENT OF SENIORS’ BASIC COSTS OF LIVING;
AND

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

WHEREAS, THE ELDER STANDARD INDEX PROVIDES A FOUNDATION FOR A MORE INFORMED ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC POLICIES AND PROPOSALS AND WILL 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 FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES BE REEVALUATED USING THE ELDER ECONOMIC SECURITY STANDARD INDEX FOR CALIFORNIA AND SIMILAR MEASURES FROM OTHER STATES AND THAT THE
GUIDELINES BE ADJUSTED TO MORE ACCURATELY REFLECT SENIORS’ BASIC COSTS OF LIVING; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT 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 PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT, THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE CHAIRPERSONS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES ON AGING, AND TO EACH SENATOR AND REPRESENTATIVE FROM CALIFORNIA IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES.

RN 08 21998

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