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.