AARP Indiana’s Legislative Team serves up caffeine, robust agenda

The coffee was hot, the one-pagers were concise, and the AARP Indiana Legislative Team was ready to advocate for older Hoosiers.

Every year, the AARP Indiana staff and volunteers execute a special day at the Indiana Statehouse affectionately known as the Coffee Cart.

The team gathers on the third floor of the Statehouse, ready to chat with legislators who are going about the business of committee hearings and the daily hustle and bustle of the Indiana General Assembly. Legislators and staff stop by for a cup of coffee, a breakfast treat (this year – gigantic cinnamon rolls), some AARP Indiana swag, and a large helping of information on bills we want to see move forward.

“It was critical to get all of our advocates together in-person this year and in front of their elected officials,” Ambre Marr, AARP Indiana legislative director, said. “This time around, volunteers and staff made it their mission to back a slate of bills that support mobile integrated health (MIH), as well as legislation that cracks down on unfair real estate practices.”

MIH is a patient-centered model of care delivered in a patient's home or in a mobile environment, and MIH programs typically offer a range of services, including diabetic monitoring, disease management, vaccinations, substance abuse and mental illness mitigation, and maternal and infant care.

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“Older people nationwide want to age in place,” Marr said. “These types of programs and legislation makes healthcare more accessible for people both in rural and urban areas.”

Volunteers and staff also highlighted HB 1222 – Residential Real Estate Service Agreements, a bill that would protect consumers from a practice in which companies pay a nominal fee to homeowners for a 40-year agreement to provide real estate services, which puts homeowners or their successors in a bind to use a company’s services to list a home, etc.

“These agreements take advantage of vulnerable homeowners that are combatting rising taxes, utilities, and more,” Marr said. “The practice can lead to liens and other challenges when a property changes hands or if there is a sale attempted.”

The AARP Indiana Legislative Team continues to meet and will be in-touch with their legislators until sine-die, the official conclusion of the 2024 Indiana General Assembly.