Pallone, Thompson Bill to Empower Persons with Disabilities Passes House

Press Release

Today, H.R. 670, the Special Needs Trust Fairness Act passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 383-22. The bill was introduced by Congressmen Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) and Glenn "GT' Thompson (PA-05) last year and would enable a disabled individual to set up a Special Needs Trust on their own behalf. A Special Needs Trust is a special type of trust that is designed to supplement certain daily living expenses and medical care.

"The barriers that currently prohibit an individual from creating a Special Needs Trust on their own behalf, despite having the mental capacity to do so, places an undue burden on disabled individuals who are simply trying to make ends meet," said Pallone. "This legislation will eliminate these unnecessary barriers and enable individuals living with a disability to provide for their future financial stability."

"I am proud to have worked on this important bipartisan legislation with Rep. Pallone," Thompson said. "The Special Needs Trust Fairness and Medicaid Improvement Act is focused on a fundamental issue of equal protection under the law, making sure people across the country with life-changing disease or disabilities are being treated fairly."

As the law is currently written, disabled individuals must have a parent, grandparent, guardian or the court create a Special Needs Trust on their behalf. For individuals who may not have an available individual willing to establish the trust on their behalf, this can create significant logistical and financial barriers, and places an undue burden on the individual and our already overworked court system. The Special Needs Trust Fairness Act will remove this barrier, and allow individuals with disabilities, when appropriate, to create their own Special Needs Trust, which will empower them to be responsible for their own life decisions and have access to what is rightly theirs.

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