08 LC
36 0853
Senate
Bill 341
By:
Senators Hawkins of the 49th, Murphy of the 27th, Thomas of the 54th, Smith of
the 52nd, Carter of the 13th and others
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Article 2 of Chapter 6 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to the Council on Aging, so as to assign additional duties
and powers to the council; to require that the council study certain matters and
produce a report; to provide a certain date by which the report must be
distributed; to provide for the appointment of advisory committees; to provide
for reimbursement of expenses incurred by advisory committee members; to provide
for the cooperation of other state departments and agencies; to require an
interim progress report; to provide for automatic repeal of said provisions; to
provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date contingent on
funding; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Article
2 of Chapter 6 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to the Council on Aging, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as
follows:
"49-6-21.1.
(a)
In addition to those duties and powers set forth in Code Section 49-6-21, the
Council on Aging shall provide a written report entitled 'Project 2020: Georgia
for a Lifetime' to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of
the House of Representatives, and such report shall be provided no later than
December 15, 2010. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives shall direct the report to the appropriate committees for
review. The council shall notify members of the General Assembly and any state
department or agency mentioned in or affected by the report of the availability
of such report, and such notification shall be given in the manner which the
council deems most effective and efficient.
(b)
As part of the report required by subsection (a) of this Code section, the
council shall research, identify, evaluate, and make recommendations
on:
(1)
State policies regarding older adults and state agencies´ readiness for the
expanding aging population;
(2)
The projected impact that this state´s increasing aging population will
have on health, protection, safety, housing, transportation, employment,
caregiving, education, the economy, access to services, volunteerism, legal and
financial preparedness, and social and recreational resources;
(3)
The implementation of specific policies, procedures, and programs to respond to
the needs and impact of the aging population relating to health, protection,
safety, housing, transportation, employment, caregiving, education, the economy,
access to services, volunteerism, legal and financial preparedness, and social
and recreational resources;
(4)
Ways to increase public and governmental understanding of the current and future
needs of the state´s aging population, to increase state government
readiness, and to increase community preparedness for an aging
Georgia;
(5)
Ways to facilitate the communication and coordination of public and private
entities as they plan for the growing aging population;
(6)
The status and effectiveness of policies, procedures, and programs that engage
the older population or that provide services to the aging
population;
(7)
The policies, procedures, initiatives, and programs that other states have
implemented to address the needs of their aging populations;
(8)
The policies, procedures, initiatives, and programs that other states have
developed and implemented to engage older adults as volunteers and
mentors;
(9)
Methods to provide a forum for public comment on planning issues relating to the
aging population; and
(10)
Ways to encourage public and private entities to analyze, plan, and prepare for
the impact of the aging population.
(c)
In preparing the report required by subsection (a) of this Code section, the
council may hire experts and shall hear from key leaders of the public and
private sectors in the various areas relating to the aging
population.
(d)
For the purpose of assisting the council in carrying out the provisions of this
Code section, the council may appoint advisory committees. The members of such
advisory committees shall serve at the pleasure of the council. Members of the
advisory committees shall receive no compensation for the performance of their
duties but shall be reimbursed for actual travel and other reasonable and
necessary expenses incurred while attending called meetings of the advisory
committee on which they serve.
(e)
The council is authorized to call upon for cooperation and shall receive the
cooperation of any state department or agency in carrying out the provisions of
this Code section.
(f)
The council shall apply for any applicable grants and resources, public and
private, for which it may qualify for executing its duties and powers under this
Code section.
(g)
Not later than December 15, 2009, the council shall provide the Governor, the
President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives with a
written interim progress report on the status of the report required by
subsection (a) of this Code section. The President of the Senate and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives shall direct the interim progress report
to the appropriate committees for review. The council shall notify members of
the General Assembly and any state department or agency mentioned in or affected
by the interim progress report of the availability of such report, and such
notification shall be given in the manner which the council deems most effective
and efficient.
(h)
This Code section shall stand repealed in its entirety on January 1,
2011."
SECTION
2.
This
Act shall become effective July 1, 2008, only if funds are specifically
appropriated for purposes of this Act in an appropriations Act making specific
reference to this Act and shall become effective when funds so appropriated
become available for expenditure.
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.