Regional News From the AARP Bulletin
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2006-11-09 10:27:19.805410-05:00
December 2007
Protection with teeth – When the state House Labor Committee convenes in January under new leadership, AARP Indiana plans to help lawmakers draft legislation to fight age discrimination in employment. Under current law, residents who experience age bias on the job can file a complaint with the state Department of Labor, but the agency can issue only a finding of fact-it cannot deliver enforceable remedies to injured parties. Moreover, those age 70 and older do not have even this limited protection.
AARP Indiana aims to eliminate age limits on protection and move enforcement to the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, which could deliver meaningful remedies.
To tell House Labor Committee Chairman David Niezgodski, D, that you support efforts to strengthen the state's age discrimination law, call the House switchboard at 1-800-382-9841 and leave a message.
October 2007
Relief for homeowners – Consumer interests continue to top AARP Indiana’s agenda this fall, as lawmakers study ways to reduce the state’s foreclosure rate. Indiana ranks 10th in the nation in mortgage foreclosures, with 24,388 filings in the first half of 2007.
The AARP state office lobbied successfully this spring for tighter regulation of mortgage brokers and the creation of a statewide hotline and local private counseling for borrowers. AARP Indiana is now asking legislators to appropriate much-needed additional funding for these programs. In addition, AARP Indiana is testifying before a legislative study committee this fall to help find other ways to reduce the state’s foreclosure rate. n If you are facing foreclosure, you can help by sharing your story. Call 1-866-448-3618 toll free and ask for June Lyle, AARP Indiana’s public policy director.
September 2007
Protect yourself – AARP Indiana will host nine “Scam Jams” in eight cities in September, October and November to help residents invest wisely and protect themselves from fraud.
“Fraudulent schemes are not the only problem,” says Irene Wegner of AARP Indiana. “Even legitimate but complicated long-term investments may not be appropriate for an older investor.”
Scam Jams will be held in Bloomington, Carmel, Indianapolis, Jasper, Kokomo, Lakeview-Clarksville, Merrillville and South Bend. For dates, times and locations, call 1-866-448-3618 toll free.
— Reports by Will Yandik
July 2007
Free freeze... AARP Indiana successfully lobbied to give Hoosiers the right to “freeze” or “thaw” their credit reports at no cost. Beginning Sept. 1, Indiana consumers can bar the three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian and TransUnion—from releasing their credit reports to merchants or banks, thereby blocking identity thieves from opening new accounts in their name. Consumers can lift a security freeze when they want to open a new line of credit by using a personal identification number. By 2009, state residents will be able to perform these transactions on the Internet.
“The no-fee provision makes Indiana’s credit freeze law one of the best in the nation,” says June Lyle, AARP associate state director for advocacy. For more information, including addresses for all three credit bureaus, go to www.aarp.org/in.
April 2007
Affordability focus... With two different proposals for health care reform now before the legislature, AARP Indiana is urging lawmakers to focus on affordability, adequate coverage and ease of use. The plans vary in scope, cost and design. One (HB 1008) would provide universal coverage, while the other (SB 503) would offer incremental expansion in coverage. Both plans rely on the private insurance market. Final legislation is expected to take shape by the end of the month. More than 877,000 Hoosiers lack health insurance, including about 100,000 children. Indiana has the highest per capita rate of bankruptcies filed for medical reasons in the country, according to the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration. To e-mail lawmakers and ask them to support health care reform, go to www.in.gov/legislative/index.html and click on “Contact Us.”
February 2007
Attitude adjustment... A poll of Indiana residents age 50 and older shows strong support for legislative reforms to curb age discrimination in the workplace. AARP Indiana will use the findings, released in January, to encourage lawmakers to address the issue.
More than one in three Hoosiers said they or someone they knew had experienced age discrimination. Two-thirds said lawmakers should extend protection to workers older than 75. Under current state law, workers are protected against age bias only between the ages of 40 and 75.
More than seven in 10 Hoosiers surveyed favored a ban on mandatory retirement ages, and nearly eight out of 10 said they would support legislation allowing individuals to fight age discrimination in court. Currently, a worker’s only recourse is to file a complaint with the state Department of Labor. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/in.
—Reports by Will Yandik
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