ASSEMBLYMEMBER PEDRO NAVA
35TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
For Immediate Release: March 13, 2008
Contact: John Mann
Phone: (805) 483-9808

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Pedro Nava announced today that AB 1900, the Healthy Seniors Act of 2008 passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee this week on a 4 to 1 vote.

The Healthy Seniors Act of 2008 will establish the Healthy Seniors Fund that will distribute monies through the counties for the funding of non-profits that provide services to seniors, such as food deliveries, elder abuse intervention and identity theft prevention.  

Funding for the Healthy Seniors Act will come from a 10% penalty assessment for elder abuse and from a fee of up to $3 dollars that local county board of supervisors can assess at their discretion on death certificates.

“I am pleased to be working with the California Senior Legislature on this measure,” said Nava.  “Criminals who target our parents and grandparents will be sent a strong message, that we can no longer tolerate elder abuse.  By increasing the fines and creating this fund, we will be able to give the community more tools to address these problems that deeply affect the health and well being of our seniors.”

“As the Chair of the Joint Rules Committee of the California Senior Legislature, representing close to 4 million seniors, we are proud to sponsor The Healthy Seniors Act with Assemblymember Pedro Nava,” said Joseph A. Cox.  “This bill will really help seniors especially in the areas of elder abuse and healthful living.  We are proud to support of this bill.”