Anne Hughes

During session, we successfully passed legislation that protects and supports individuals in the state who are in the twilight years of their life. Unfortunately, as the elderly population steadily grows, scam attempts against that community also increase. To help shield our older residents from being victimized, we passed PA 23-161.

Starting July 1, 2024, banks and credit unions will have the power to temporarily suspend or hold transactions involving an account of an adult over the age of 60 if there is a reasonable suspicion of financial exploitation for up to 45 days.

Below are some of the highlights of Aging bills we passed this year:

• Established a new coordinator of state services for people with dementia
• Strengthened patient's involvement in their homemaker care plans and streamlined the process for filing complaints
• Expanded eligibility for seniors to participate in adult day services (serving those with early onset dementia)
• Increased funding for elderly nutrition and Meals on Wheels
• Required homemaker companion companies to provide notice to their clients before they abruptly close and prohibited any increases in rates without at least 60-day notice

The aging population deserves to live comfortable and unburdened. The legislation that we passed will help make this possible.

As a continuous member of the Aging Committee, I am proud to share these policy successes, which are a result of a multiyear, bipartisan push to deliver meaningful protections in the face of greater threats of scams, exploitation and abuse of our elders. I am so proud to represent our growing elder community.  

I pledge to build on this work and am so honored to Chair the Aging Committee’s Working Group on Addressing Elder Abuse, Exploitation and the Misuse and Theft of Opioids, which recently convened its first meeting. We hope to conclude in November with policy recommendations to be raised by the Aging Committee next Session which begins in February 2024. Stay tuned!