PRINTER'S NO. 895

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

No. 131 Session of 2005

        INTRODUCED BY GRELL, PAYNE, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CREIGHTON,
           DALLY, DeWEESE, FRANKEL, GEIST, GINGRICH, GOOD, HARPER,
           HENNESSEY, JAMES, NAILOR, PISTELLA, QUIGLEY, READSHAW,
           ROBERTS, ROSS, SCAVELLO, SEMMEL, STERN, WALKO, M. KELLER,
           CRAHALLA, HERSHEY, TIGUE, FICHTER, CLYMER AND RAPP,
           MARCH 14, 2005

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MARCH 14, 2005

                                  A RESOLUTION

     1  Directing the Joint State Government Commission to review
     2     current guardianship statutes and programs and make findings
     3     and recommendations on the effectiveness of these statutes
     4     and programs in meeting the needs of vulnerable incapacitated
     5     persons.

     6     WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's guardianship law has not changed in
     7  more than a decade; and
     8     WHEREAS, Pennsylvania has a growing population of elderly
     9  persons, many of whom are not capable of caring for themselves;
    10  and
    11     WHEREAS, Long-term care facilities in this Commonwealth are
    12  increasingly faced with providing care for individuals who lack
    13  the capacity to make decisions about their financial and
    14  personal affairs and who do not have anyone willing and able to
    15  make personal and health care decisions for them; therefore be
    16  it
    17     RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint

     1  State Government Commission to review the current guardianship
     2  statutes and programs in this Commonwealth and their
     3  effectiveness in meeting current demand for guardianships; and
     4  be it further
     5     RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission include
     6  in its review specific findings and recommendations relating to
     7  the ability of current programs and services to respond to the
     8  growing incidence of incapacitated long-term care residents in
     9  need of guardianship services; and be it further
    10     RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission report
    11  to the Aging and Older Adult Services Committee and Judiciary
    12  Committee of the House of Representatives with the results of
    13  their findings and recommendations within six months of the
    14  adoption of this resolution.











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