2017 -- H 5251

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LC000958

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT - ELDERLY AFFAIRS

DEPARTMENT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Ruggiero, Carson, Shanley, Fogarty, and Tobon

     Date Introduced: January 26, 2017

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 42-66 of the General Laws entitled "Elderly Affairs Department" is

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hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     42-66-18. Community senior services grant program.

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

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

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of elderly affairs in the department of human services, the community senior services grant

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program to provide financial assistance and incentives to local governments and nonprofit

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agencies to operate senior centers and other senior services programs that help older residents to

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remain living in the community. Such services include, but are not limited to, outreach, social

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services, health promotion, physical fitness, recreation, life-long learning, transportation

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

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     (b) Appropriations. For fiscal year 2018, the total amount of funds appropriated for the

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community senior services grant program shall be that amount needed to award each municipality

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the sum of five dollars ($5.00) per each non-institutionalized person age sixty-five (65) and older

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as reported by the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau or an amount equal to its fiscal year 2017 state senior

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services grant awarded by the division, whichever is greater, as its basic grant. In the event that

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the municipality does not directly operate local senior centers and programs, the division shall, in

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consultation with municipality's chief elected or appointed official or the official's designee,

 

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distribute and award the municipality's basic grant to community nonprofit agencies which are

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operating senior centers and/or senior programs. However, for fiscal year 2018 no municipal or

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nonprofit community senior center or senior program shall receive an award which is less than

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the amount of their fiscal year 2017 state grant from the division. For fiscal years 2019 through

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2023, the general assembly shall increase funding for the community senior services grant

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program by an amount needed to increase the minimum basic grant by one dollar ($1.00) each

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year until the minimum basic grant reaches an amount of ten dollars ($10.00) per each non-

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institutionalized person age sixty-five (65) and older within the municipality.

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     (c) Eligibility. To be eligible for the community senior services grant program a

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municipality or nonprofit agency must contribute an equal amount of cash or in-kind resources

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for senior program support that it provided in state fiscal year 2017 and submit to the division for

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its approval a plan detailing the services and/or programs to be provided with grant funds, how

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the proposed plan meets the needs of local seniors and how the local share match will be met. In

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addition, the grantee must demonstrate that there exists with the local senior center or

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municipality, or there are plans to establish, a local senior advisory committee whose membership

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shall include a majority of persons age sixty-five (65) and older. The purpose of the local senior

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advisory committee shall be to provide advice to local officials and members of the legislature

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whose districts lie within the municipality on the service needs and interests of persons age sixty-

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five (65) and older. In approving grant proposals, the division shall take into consideration how

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the spending plan addresses the municipality's comprehensive plan as it relates to services and

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programs for seniors and the goals and objectives of the state plan on aging as submitted to the

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Federal Administration on Aging.

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     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 - ELDERLY AFFAIRS

DEPARTMENT

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     This act would establish a community senior services grant program to provide financial

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assistance to municipalities and nonprofit organizations which operate senior centers and/or

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senior programs.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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