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:

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

hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Federal Administration on Aging.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC000958

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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

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

senior programs.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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