SENIOR SENATE PROPOSAL NO. 23
INTRODUCED BY SENIOR SENATOR BILL YOUNG
(COAUTHOR: SENIOR SENATOR ANNE MACK)
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SP 23: CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGAL HOTLINE.
UNDER EXISTING LAW, THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF AGING PROVIDES LEADERSHIP TO THE AREA AGENCIES ON AGING IN DEVELOPING SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT OLDER INDIVIDUALS. THE SENIOR LEGAL HOTLINE IS ONE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR SENIORS.
THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION TO IMMEDIATELY RESTORE STATE CORE SUPPORT OF THE SENIOR LEGAL HOTLINE, ADOPT AND FUND SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS, AND ASSIST EFFORTS OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SENIOR LEGAL HOTLINES TO RESTORE AND EXPAND FEDERAL FUNDING FOR CALIFORNIA’S SENIOR LEGAL HOTLINE.
VOTE: MAJORITY.
SP 23: RELATING TO THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGAL HOTLINE
WHEREAS, THE POPULATION OF CALIFORNIANS OVER THE AGE OF 60, WHICH WAS 4.74 MILLION IN 2000, IS EXPECTED TO NEARLY DOUBLE BY THE YEAR 2020; AND
WHEREAS, THE AVAILABILITY OF FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE IS KEY TO ENSURING THAT LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME SENIORS MEET THE CHALLENGES OF OBTAINING AND SECURING HEALTH CARE, INCOME MAINTENANCE, PUBLIC BENEFITS, HOUSING, FAIR DEALING IN THE MARKETPLACE, INDEPENDENCE, AND PREVENTION OF EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE; AND
WHEREAS, IT HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED THAT SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGAL HOTLINE (SLH) AND OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE SENIOR LEGAL NETWORK HAVE THE LONG-TERM EFFECT OF SAVING STATE RESOURCES BY PREVENTING LEGAL PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY ARISE, RESOLVING DISPUTES WITHOUT COSTLY LITIGATION, KEEPING DEPENDENT CHILDREN OUT OF THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM, PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS, AND FACILITATING SUCCESSFUL PLANNING STRATEGIES THAT KEEP MORE SENIORS INDEPENDENT AND SAFE IN THEIR HOMES AS LONG AS POSSIBLE; AND
WHEREAS, THE CURRENT EXTRAORDINARY ECONOMIC CRISES AFFECT SENIORS IN MANY WAYS DISTINCT FROM OTHERS SERVED BY TRADITIONAL LEGAL AID AGENCIES; AND
WHEREAS, SENIORS LACK THE CAPACITY AND EXPERIENCE TO DEAL WITH CERTAIN ISSUES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE DECIMATION OF RETIREMENT SAVINGS, LONG-TERM CARE ISSUES, EXPLOITATION, PREDATORY LENDING, AND THE FORECLOSURE CRISIS; AND
WHEREAS, IN 2007, THE SENIOR LEGAL HOTLINE BECAME THE FIRST LEGAL AID AGENCY IN CALIFORNIA TO BE RECOGNIZED AS A UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT-APPROVED COUNSELING AGENCY, WAS PROMPTLY SWAMPED WITH CALLS FOR HELP FROM SENIORS FACING FORECLOSURE OR EVICTION, AND HAS ACHIEVED CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS IN NEGOTIATING LOAN MODIFICATIONS FOR SOME VICTIMS WHILE PROVIDING VALUABLE ADVICE FOR MANY MORE; AND
WHEREAS, THE SENIOR LEGAL HOTLINE SERVES THOUSANDS OF SENIORS WHO WOULD RECEIVE NO LEGAL HELP OTHERWISE, ENABLING OVERBURDENED LOCAL SENIOR LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, WHERE THEY EXIST, TO FOCUS MORE OF THEIR RESOURCES ON REPRESENTATION AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION; AND
WHEREAS, IN NUMEROUS STATES, STUDIES OF SENIOR LEGAL NEEDS HAVE FOUND THAT AN ACCESSIBLE AND FREE LEGAL HOTLINE IS THE SERVICE MOST REQUESTED BY RESPONDENTS; AND
WHEREAS, THE SENIOR LEGAL HOTLINE HAS HELPED NEARLY 100,000 CALIFORNIA SENIORS SINCE 1994, YET EVEN WITH THE STATE SUPPORT PROVIDED IN THE 2007-08 FISCAL YEAR, THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR ASSISTANCE EXCEEDS ITS CAPACITY; AND
WHEREAS, THE FEDERAL COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM THAT BROUGHT SLH INTO EXISTENCE AND CONSTITUTED ITS CORE FUNDING FOR 12 YEARS ENDED IN 2006, PUTTING THE HOTLINE AT RISK OF CLOSURE UNLESS IT COULD OBTAIN ALTERNATIVE CORE SUPPORT; AND
WHEREAS, THE STATE TASK FORCE ON SENIOR LEGAL SERVICES,
CREATED BY ASSEMBLY BILL 830 OF THE 2001-02 REGULAR SESSION RECOMMENDED STATE
FUNDING OF THE SENIOR LEGAL HOTLINE AS PART OF AN EXPANSION OF SUPPORT OF ALL
PARTS OF THE SENIOR LEGAL SERVICES NETWORK, AND THE INCLUSION OF
SLH IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET ACT CONSTITUTED A SMALL STEP IN FULFILLING THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS; AND
WHEREAS, EVERY MAJOR ORGANIZATION REPRESENTING SENIOR
CONSUMERS IN CALIFORNIA HAS ENDORSED THE CALL FOR SUPPORT OF THE HOTLINE,
INCLUDING THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONS, THE CALIFORNIA COMMISSION
ON AGING, THE CONGRESS OF CALIFORNIA SENIORS, THE CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE FOR
RETIRED AMERICANS, THE GRAY PANTHERS, THE OLDER WOMEN’S LEAGUE, THE CALIFORNIA
SENIORS COALITION, THE FEDERATION OF RETIRED UNION MEMBERS, THE CALIFORNIA
SENIOR ADVOCATES LEAGUE, THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR ACTION NETWORK, AND THE
CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE; NOW, THEREFORE, BE
IT
RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR SENATE AND THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY, 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 IMMEDIATELY RESTORE ITS CORE SUPPORT OF THE SENIOR LEGAL HOTLINE TO, AT A MINIMUM, ITS 2007-08 LEVEL, ADOPT AND FUND THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STATE TASK FORCE ON SENIOR LEGAL SERVICES, ASSIST EFFORTS OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SENIOR LEGAL HOTLINES TO RESTORE AND EXPAND FEDERAL FUNDING FOR CALIFORNIA’S SENIOR LEGAL HOTLINE; 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 PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
RN 08 28662
- 0 -