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WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement after his bipartisan legislation to protect seniors from neglect and financial exploitation passed Congress. The Court-Appointed Guardian Accountability and Senior Protection Act, which he introduced with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), will help crack down on elder abuse by strengthening oversight and accountability for guardians and conservators.

 

“Our nation’s senior citizens regretfully are targets for exploitation and fraud, sadly sometimes at the hands of those they trust the most,” said Cornyn. “I’m glad the House passed this bipartisan legislation to strengthen accountability measures for guardians so our senior citizens are protected and this type of abuse can be prevented.”  

 

Sen. Cornyn’s bipartisan legislation passed as part of the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act. The Court-Appointed Guardian Accountability and Senior Protection Act makes courts eligible for an already existing program designed to protect seniors. Under the program, state courts would be able to apply for funding to assess the handling of proceedings relating to guardians and conservators, and then make the necessary improvements to their practices. For example, the courts could conduct background checks on potential guardians and conservators, or implement an electronic filing system to better monitor and audit conservatorships and guardianships.