LANSING – State Representative Andy Neumann (D-Alpena) today took a stand against elder abuse in Michigan by voting in favor of the first wave of a package of bills that will strengthen consumer protections for seniors and increase penalties for those who financially exploit them. The Elder Abuse Protection Plan is part of the lawmaker's ongoing effort to strengthen Michigan's faltering consumer protection laws. Neumann called on the Senate to pass the plan quickly.
"Michigan seniors need better protections," said Neumann, Chair of the House Senior Health, Security and Retirement Committee and a sponsor of the plan. "By increasing safeguards and creating stronger penalties, we are ensuring that our seniors will be protected both physically and financially. This plan has received strong bipartisan support and I urge the Senate to act without delay in putting our seniors' best interests first."
The plan that began moving today addresses elder abuse by:
- Increasing penalties for cheating or defrauding seniors, including establishing felony charges and banning abusers from inheriting from the estate of their victim.
- Empowering concerned citizens to file criminal complaints to stop and prevent abuse cases in nursing homes and elsewhere.
- Strengthening consumer protections by requiring financial institutions to do more to disclose the rights of seniors and create new safeguards against fraud.
- Creating the "Mozelle Alert" – an alert to notify the public in cases of missing endangered seniors, similar to the Amber Alert. The alert is named in honor of Estella Mozelle Pierce, a senior who died after wandering from her Southwest Detroit home.
Reports of elder abuse have increased 40 percent since 1998, according to the Michigan Department of Human Services. Michigan's Adult Protective Services received more than 16,300 reports of adult mistreatment in 2008. Based on estimates of how often abuse goes unreported, this suggests that more than 73,000 of Michigan's adults are abused every year, according to the National Center on Elder Abuse.
"Elder abuse is often easily hidden because it can include more than physical harm," Neumann said. "We must add penalties to stop these predators who target our loved ones. The penalties that are currently in place just aren't strong enough to stop these horrific acts."
To report a suspected case of elder abuse, residents can call the state's 24-hour toll-free hotline at (800) 996-6228.
NOTE: Bills passed today include: House Bills 4618, 4620, 4626, 4727, 4971 and 5011.
Additional bills in the package will be acted on shortly.