Bill Text: TX HB1800 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to a study to evaluate the effectiveness of community collaboratives in addressing the exploitation of elderly persons in this state.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-05-10 - Considered in Calendars [HB1800 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-HB1800-Introduced.html
  87R4714 KFF-D
 
  By: Lopez H.B. No. 1800
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a pilot program to establish community collaboratives
  to address financial exploitation of elderly persons in this state.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  DEFINITIONS. In this Act:
               (1)  "Community collaborative" means a community
  collaborative established under the pilot program.
               (2)  "Department" means the Department of Family and
  Protective Services.
               (3)  "Financial exploitation" has the meaning assigned
  by Section 281.001, Finance Code.
               (4)  "Pilot program" means the pilot program
  established under Section 2 of this Act.
         SECTION 2.  PILOT PROGRAM TO ESTABLISH COMMUNITY
  COLLABORATIVES TO ADDRESS FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION OF ELDERLY
  PERSONS. (a)  Not later than December 1, 2021, the department shall
  develop and implement a pilot program to establish community
  collaboratives under which entities with an interest in preventing
  financial exploitation of elderly persons collaborate to help
  prevent, protect against, and prosecute that exploitation and
  otherwise improve the financial security of elderly persons. To
  the extent possible, each community collaborative should include
  the following entities as participants:
               (1)  at least one social service agency or other entity
  capable of providing services to the community aimed at preventing
  financial exploitation, including financial counseling, benefits
  assistance, insurance counseling, presentations and other
  educational information on scams, fraud, and identity theft
  targeted at elderly persons, and money management and employment
  services;
               (2)  at least one local court with jurisdiction over
  guardianship proceedings; and
               (3)  the office of at least one prosecuting attorney in
  the community that has an independent unit committed to
  investigating and prosecuting financial exploitation.
         (b)  In developing and implementing the pilot program, the
  department shall:
               (1)  consult with the Elder Financial Safety Center or
  another entity familiar with designing and maintaining similar
  community collaboratives; and
               (2)  establish the collaboratives in at least five
  different geographical areas of this state that are representative
  of diverse communities with different resources and services to
  evaluate how the collaborative model can be adapted to different
  communities.
         SECTION 3.  REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2022, the
  department shall prepare and submit a report to the governor,
  lieutenant governor, and each member of the legislature that
  includes:
               (1)  a description and summary of the pilot program,
  including a description of where each community collaborative was
  established and the entities participating in each collaborative;
               (2)  the department's evaluation of the effect of each
  collaborative in the community in which it was implemented; and
               (3)  a recommendation as to whether the community
  collaboratives should be continued or terminated.
         SECTION 4.  EXPIRATION. The pilot program terminates and
  this Act expires September 1, 2023.
         SECTION 5.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect
  immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members
  elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas
  Constitution.  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for
  immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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