HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 429        FILED ON: 1/10/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 631

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

John C. Velis and Hannah Kane

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act establishing a commission to study the financial abuse of elders.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

John C. Velis

4th Hampden

1/10/2019

Hannah Kane

11th Worcester

1/10/2019

John Barrett, III

1st Berkshire

1/23/2019

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

1/22/2019

Bruce J. Ayers

1st Norfolk

2/1/2019

Daniel Cahill

10th Essex

1/23/2019

Daniel R. Carey

2nd Hampshire

1/31/2019

Josh S. Cutler

6th Plymouth

1/31/2019

Julian Cyr

Cape and Islands

2/1/2019

Angelo L. D'Emilia

8th Plymouth

1/30/2019

David F. DeCoste

5th Plymouth

1/24/2019

Diana DiZoglio

First Essex

1/31/2019

Shawn Dooley

9th Norfolk

1/22/2019

Carolyn C. Dykema

8th Middlesex

1/23/2019

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

3rd Berkshire

1/23/2019

Kimberly N. Ferguson

1st Worcester

2/1/2019

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

1/23/2019

Denise C. Garlick

13th Norfolk

1/31/2019

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

1/30/2019

Danielle W. Gregoire

4th Middlesex

1/24/2019

James K. Hawkins

2nd Bristol

2/2/2019

Stephan Hay

3rd Worcester

1/22/2019

Steven S. Howitt

4th Bristol

1/31/2019

Donald F. Humason, Jr.

Second Hampden and Hampshire

1/17/2019

Randy Hunt

5th Barnstable

1/21/2019

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

1/28/2019

Joseph D. McKenna

18th Worcester

1/29/2019

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

1/30/2019

Liz Miranda

5th Suffolk

1/31/2019

David K. Muradian, Jr.

9th Worcester

1/23/2019

Norman J. Orrall

12th Bristol

1/30/2019

Sarah K. Peake

4th Barnstable

1/29/2019

Elizabeth A. Poirier

14th Bristol

1/29/2019

Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.

12th Hampden

1/23/2019

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

1/30/2019

Jeffrey N. Roy

10th Norfolk

1/28/2019

Alyson M. Sullivan

7th Plymouth

2/1/2019

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

1/30/2019

José F. Tosado

9th Hampden

1/31/2019

Timothy R. Whelan

1st Barnstable

1/22/2019

Bud L. Williams

11th Hampden

1/30/2019

Jonathan D. Zlotnik

2nd Worcester

1/31/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 429        FILED ON: 1/10/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 631

By Representatives Velis of Westfield and Kane of Shrewsbury, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 631) of John C. Velis, Hannah Kane and others for legislation to establish a special commission (including members of the General Court) to study the financial abuse of elders.  Elder Affairs.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act establishing a commission to study the financial abuse of elders.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. (a) The Massachusetts General Court shall initiate a commission to study and draft policies to combat the financial abuse of elders in the Commonwealth.

(1)Said Commission shall have three members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, two appointed by the Speaker of the House and one appointed by the Minority Leader;

(2)Said Commission shall have three members of the Massachusetts Senate, two appointed by the President of the Senate and one appointed by the Minority Leader;

(3)Said commission shall have two attorneys, admitted to the Massachusetts Bar, who specialize in elder and estate law;

(4)Said Commission shall have a representative from an advocacy group, operating in Massachusetts, which has a history of advocating for the interests of the elder population in the Commonwealth;

(5)Said Commission shall have two representatives who are employed by Councils on Aging in the Commonwealth or any organization responsible for administering protective services to elders in the Commonwealth; and

(6)Said Commission shall have a representative from an association or advocacy group, operating in Massachusetts, which has a history of advocating on behalf of the real estate industry.

(7)Said Commission shall have a representative from an association or advocacy group, operating in Massachusetts, which has a background in the financial services industry

(b)The commission will specifically study

(1)The economic impact and mechanisms of financial abuse on those over age 60 in the Commonwealth;

(2)The lending and refinancing practices of companies who target customers above the age of 60;

(3)Exploitative transfers of real estate or other valuable property from dependent elders to fiduciaries for significantly less than market value;

(4)Fraudulent or deceptive schemes that target elderly persons in the Commonwealth through telemarketing, the internet, or other means; and

(5)Any other form of elder financial abuse.

(c)Said commission shall file a report that includes policy recommendations prevent or better protect elders from financial abuse. They shall file their report with the clerk of either chamber, as well as the Chairmen of the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs and the Joint Committee on Financial Services, no later than December 31st, 2019.