Bill Text: NJ AR119 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Congress to fully fund programs and activities under federal Elder Justice Act.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-03-07 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee [AR119 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-AR119-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CAROL A. MURPHY
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Congress to fully fund programs and activities under federal Elder Justice Act.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution respectfully urging Congress to fully fund programs and activities under the federal Elder Justice Act.
Whereas, The federal Elder Justice Act was enacted in 2010 as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, P.L.111-148; and
Whereas, The enactment was the first time a federal law authorized a specific source of federal funds to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation; and
Whereas, Among other provisions, the Elder Justice Act authorizes grants to support improvements to state adult protective services and long-term care ombudsman programs; and
Whereas, The act authorizes grants for federal and state survey agencies for long-term care facilities; and
Whereas, The Elder Justice Act also authorizes grants for forensic centers to develop expertise on the issues of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation; and
Whereas, The act established an Advisory Board on Elder Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation to create a multi-disciplinary plan for developing the field of elder justice; and
Whereas, In addition, the Elder Justice Act requires abuses in long-term care facilities to be immediately reported to law enforcement; and
Whereas, Despite the intent of the Elder Justice Act to fight elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, Congress has failed to fully fund the act's authorized programs and activities; and
Whereas, According to a June 15, 2020 report by the Congressional Research Service, the authorizations of appropriations for most Elder Justice Act activities expired in September 2014, and most programs and activities authorized under the act have either not received funding since enactment, or have not received funding at their previously authorized levels; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House respectfully urges the United States Congress to fully appropriate funds authorized under the Elder Justice Act for all of the act's activities and programs.
2. Duly authenticated copies
of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted
by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Majority and Minority Leaders of
the United States Senate, the Speaker and Majority and Minority Leaders of the
United States House of Representatives, and each member of the United States
Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges Congress to fully fund programs and activities under the federal Elder Justice Act. The act, which was enacted in 2010 as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, P.L. 111-148, was the first time a federal law authorized a specific source of federal funds to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Among other provisions, the Elder Justice Act authorizes grants to support improvements to state adult protective services and long-term care ombudsman programs; authorizes grants for federal and state survey agencies for long-term care facilities and
for forensic centers to develop expertise on the issues of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The Elder Justice Act also established an Advisory Board on Elder Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation to create a multi-disciplinary plan for developing the field of elder justice, and
requires abuses in long-term care facilities to be immediately reported to law enforcement.
Despite the intent of the Elder Justice Act to fight elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, Congress has failed to fully fund the act's authorized programs and activities. According to a June 15, 2020 report by the Congressional Research Service, the authorizations of appropriations for most Elder Justice Act activities expired in September 2014, and most programs and activities authorized under the act have either not received funding since enactment, or have not received funding at their previously authorized levels.
