HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 191        FILED ON: 1/10/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 632

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Hannah Kane and John C. Velis

_________________

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:

Hannah Kane

11th Worcester

1/10/2023

John C. Velis

Hampden and Hampshire

1/24/2023

Kimberly N. Ferguson

1st Worcester

1/26/2023

Kelly W. Pease

4th Hampden

1/31/2023

Joseph D. McKenna

18th Worcester

1/31/2023

Paul A. Schmid III

8th Bristol

2/1/2023

David Allen Robertson

19th Middlesex

2/6/2023

Kathleen R. LaNatra

12th Plymouth

2/6/2023

Daniel R. Carey

2nd Hampshire

2/8/2023

Alyson M. Sullivan-Almeida

7th Plymouth

2/9/2023

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

2/15/2023

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

2/16/2023

F. Jay Barrows

1st Bristol

2/23/2023

Carol A. Doherty

3rd Bristol

3/21/2023

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

4/3/2023

David F. DeCoste

5th Plymouth

4/5/2023


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 191        FILED ON: 1/10/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 632

By Representative Kane of Shrewsbury and Senator Velis, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 632) of Hannah Kane, John C. Velis and others for an investigation by a special commission (including members of the General Court) relative to the financial abuse of elders.  Elder Affairs.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 744 OF 2021-2022.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

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, 2021.