Rep. Harris appointed to new aging and disability legislative committee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 22, 2013

CONTACT: Kurt Hammond, Public Information Officer– (360) 786-7794

Rep. Harris appointed to new aging and disability legislative committee

Rep. Paul Harris has been appointed by House Speaker Frank Chopp to serve on the Joint Legislative-Executive Committee on Aging and Disability. The committee’s mission will be to identify key strategic actions to plan for the increasing population of the elderly and disabled in Washington.

More than 13 percent of Washington state’s population is 65 and older, an increase of almost a full percentage point since 2010. In Clark County 12.4 percent of the population is 65 and older.

“We are seeing a lot of changes with our health care system especially as we work to comply with Obamacare. At the same time we are seeing more of our elderly population relying on the state for assistance and services,” said Harris, R-Vancouver. “As this occurs it is important the Legislature ensure we are providing necessary services and doing so efficiently as our population continues to age.”

The committee was created through the state operating budget. The enacting legislation specifies the committee to:

establish a profile of Washington’s current population of older people and people with disabilities and a projection of population growth through 2030;
establish an inventory of services and support systems, currently available to the elderly and those with disabilities, including health care and long-term care;
identify policies to more effectively use state, federal and private resources and to ease the burden of costs against the state budget;
determine options to help communities adapt to the aging demographic in planning for housing, land use and transportation;
identify policies that promote financial security in retirement, support people who wish to stay in the workplace longer, and expand the availability of workplace retirement savings plans; and
create financing mechanisms that will promote additional private responsibility for individuals and families, promote healthy living, and strategies to better serve the health care needs of the aged and vulnerable.

The committee is scheduled to issue an interim report to the Legislature by Dec. 10, 2013, and final recommendations to the governor and Legislature by Dec. 10, 2014.

Harris serves as the ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health & Human Services and also serves on the House Health Care & Wellness Committee.

For more information about Rep. Harris, visit: houserepublicans.wa.gov/harris.

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Rep. Harris’ media:

Washington State House Republican Communications
houserepublicans.wa.gov
455 John L. O’Brien Building
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600