AARP - Nursing Homes, Payday Loans Top Advocacy Agenda

Alabama Nurse, Sep-Nov 2003 by Carter, Joan

AARP Alabama has been very active at the State House this year, and we have been battling formidable forces. We focused on two areas: payday loan regulation and quality care and protection of basic rights for nursing home residents and their families.

AARP Alabama, along with Alabama Arise and others, worked hard to amend House bill (HB) 178, which regulates the payday loan industry. Payday lenders prey on the public and are currently unregulated in this state. We commend Reps. James Buskey (Mobile) and John Knight (Montgomery) for their leadership on this issue. We also appreciate the unflagging support of Rep. Jeff McLaughlin (Guntersville). HB 178 passed and awaits consideration by the Senate.

We hope the Senate bill, sponsored by Sen. Gerald Dial (Lineville), will be amended to include the consumer protections added and passed by the House. However, there has been very little action in the Senate.

The highest-profile issue AARP Alabama has been involved with legislation to assure the quality of care and residents' rights in nursing homes. The powerful and well-financed nursing home industry introduced a package of bills that protect nursing home operators, avoid improving quality care and limit residents' rights.

AARP Alabama is part of the Protect Our Families Coalition and has worked to change these bills. We have testified before Senate committees and have asked AARP. volunteers and members to contact your senators.

Interestingly, along the way to making our voices heard, a strange thing happened. Several senators announced that they voted against their constituents' wishes because they resented being called at their businesses and homes.

At press time, two bills had been passed out of committee and are scheduled to come up on the Senate floor. However, because of the Senate's inactivity no action has been taken.

Finally, we want to thank the members of the Capital Advocacy Team and the e-advocates who have supported our efforts by contacting their legislators. We need more voices. If you'd like to become involved in legislative activities, please send e-mail to al@aarp.org or call (334) 954-3042.

To paraphrase AARP's new commercials, alone we have only one small voice. Together, we have a powerful force. We hope you'll become a part of our "power" team.

by Joan Carter

State Director