Wright bill to protect seniors passes Senate committee with bipartisan consensus
INDIANAPOLIS – Legislation authored by Representative Melanie Wright (D-Yorktown) that would study ways to create better safeguards for Hoosier seniors seeking guardianship unanimously passed through the Senate Family and Children Services Committee today.
House Bill 1600 would create a study committee to research the assignment of guardians and protection of assets for seniors across the state. The interim study committee would be tasked with determining regulated qualifications for family guardians and regulations regarding the protection of seniors’ assets. Judges would then be required to follow those regulations when assigning guardianship and enforce banks to follow the power of attorney agreement.
“I’ve heard from numerous constituents who have made it clear to me that there is a demonstrated need to strengthen the protections for Hoosier seniors’ interests when it comes to who is making decisions that impact their financial and physical health,” Wright said. “We really need to take a closer look at how guardians are assigned to care for our seniors and what their limitations are when it comes to making financial decisions on behalf of a senior.
“Officials have said that financial exploitation of seniors has been on the rise in Indiana, doubling the number of cases reported over the past ten years and it usually comes from a family member,” Wright added.
Pam Douglas, a constituent of Wright’s, whose mother experienced elderly abuse and financial exploitation by her family guardian, said that Wright was the only legislator who listened and acted on her concerns.
Douglas said during her testimony before the Senate Family and Children Services Committee, “Elderly people deserve better than what my mother got and what a lot of elderly people get these days. I want to thank Melanie Wright for listening to me, believing in me, and for getting me this far.”
House Bill 1600 is expected to be considered by the full Senate in the next week.