Bill Text: CA SCR46 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Ageism Awareness Week.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2023-03-27 - Introduced. Referred to Com. on RLS. [SCR46 Detail]
Download: California-2023-SCR46-Introduced.html
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Concurrent Resolution
No. 46
| Introduced by Senator Nguyen (Coauthors: Senators Caballero and Ochoa Bogh) (Coauthors: Assembly Members Aguiar-Curry and Pellerin) |
March 27, 2023 |
Relative to Ageism Awareness Week.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SCR 46, as introduced, Nguyen.
Ageism Awareness Week.
This measure would declare May 1, 2023, to May 7, 2023, inclusive, as Ageism Awareness Week.
Digest Key
Fiscal Committee: NOBill Text
WHEREAS, Ageism intersects all other types of discrimination, compounding the anguish for people who are also subject to ableism, racism, sexism, genderism, xenophobia, religious intolerance, and prejudice against members of the LGBTQ+ community; and
WHEREAS, A substantial body of data confirms the adverse effects of ageism on our physical and mental health, as well as on our economy, and age discrimination continues to be “the last acceptable form of prejudice”; and
WHEREAS, A national poll from July 2020 on healthy aging by the University of Michigan, titled “Everyday Ageism and Health,” concluded “overall, 82% of older adults reported regularly experiencing at least one form of everyday ageism in their day-to-day lives; and
WHEREAS, The California Master Plan for Aging (MPA) enumerates five bold goals, with goal three titled “Equity & Inclusion, Not Isolation”; and
WHEREAS, Goal three of the MPA states, “We will have lifelong opportunities for work, volunteering, engagement, and leadership and will be protected from isolation, discrimination, abuse, neglect, and exploitation”; and
WHEREAS, Ageism in all facets of the employment process was outlawed in 1967 by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and subsequent amendments, but ageism continues to be pervasive in the labor market; and
WHEREAS, The California Fair Employment and Housing Act prohibits age discrimination in businesses with more than five employees; and
WHEREAS, The state Civil Rights Department, formerly named the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), reported that almost 20 percent of the employment complaints in 2017 pertained to age discrimination, up from 11 percent in 2016; and
WHEREAS, In 2020, 1,174 individuals filed age discrimination in employment complaints with the former DFEH, with an additional 6,622 individuals filing age discrimination in employment complaints with that department, asserting a “right to sue” with their own resources; and
WHEREAS, A recent survey of 800 hiring managers by resumebuilder.com found that 38 percent of those surveyed admitted to age bias when reviewing resumes; and
WHEREAS, A study conducted by the AARP found that age discrimination cost the United States economy $850,000,000,000 in 2018; and
WHEREAS, California is now one of nine states in the country belonging to the AARP network of age friendly states and communities with the goal of living up to the eight domains of livability set forth by the world health organization and AARP, which include “respect and social inclusion”; and
WHEREAS, Research indicates that culturally determined ageism feeds negative beliefs about aging and individuals with negative beliefs about aging tend to live 7.5 fewer years than individuals with positive beliefs about growing older; and
WHEREAS, A study regarding the impact of negative media messaging regarding older adults during the pandemic concluded that the negative narrative had a deleterious effect on the mental health of subjects; and
WHEREAS, The California Department of Aging has developed an informational website titled “California for All Ages” with a wide array of resources regarding ageism; and
WHEREAS, Ageism Awareness Week will a give voice and greater exposure to the “California for All Ages” campaign; and
WHEREAS, Several other states actively promote anti-ageism, as well as the City of San Francisco; and
WHEREAS, In 2021, Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia authored Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR) 78, designating May 4, 2021, as Senior Malnutrition Awareness Day, using the ACR process to recognize another serious issue impacting older adults; therefore be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby declares May 1, 2023, to May 7, 2023, inclusive, as Ageism Awareness Week.
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
