The Senate passed legislation aimed at enhancing protections for vulnerable adults and addressing growing concerns of elder abuse and exploitation. According to the Michigan Department of Attorney General, more than 73,000 older adults in Michigan are victims of elder abuse. The abuse takes many forms, including scams, fraud, and theft.
Key Points:
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- Senate Bills 922 – 925 were introduced by Senators Veronica Klinefelt (D-Eastpointe), Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing), Kevin Hertel (D-St. Clair Shores), and Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor).
- It allows a vulnerable adult, an individual 60 years or older, or an individual with a developmental disability to petition the court to obtain a special PPO.
- The legislation would include embezzlement of a vulnerable adult as a predicate offense for racketeering, allowing prosecutors to pursue recovery of property under a 10-year statute of limitations (from the current six-year statute of limitations).
- The legislation extends legal protections beyond a vulnerable adult’s death, ensuring offenders who continue their schemes posthumously face the same penalties as if the exploitation had occurred while the vulnerable adult was alive.
- Allows each county or region to create a vulnerable adult multidisciplinary team to take a holistic approach to preventing, intervening, investigating, and prosecuting abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of older and vulnerable adults.
Next Steps:
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- The bill package will be sent to the House and referred to committee for consideration.
