AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- THE OFFICE OF THE ELDER ADVOCATE

HB 7995 establishes Rhode Island's Office of the Elder Advocate to protect the rights of older adults (60+ years) living independently in their homes or communities, not just in long-term care facilities. The office will handle individual complaints about issues like financial exploitation or housing, advocate for systemic improvements in aging services, monitor state agencies, and educate the public on elder rights. The governor appoints a qualified attorney with elder rights expertise to lead the office, which gains authority to access relevant records and refer facility complaints to the long-term care ombudsman. The bill requires annual funding from the state and mandates confidential handling of all client records.