HB 4024

Abstract

Amends the Elder Abuse and Neglect Act and the Criminal Code of 1961. In the Elder Abuse and Neglect Act: (1) in the definition of "mandated reporter", removes references to "professional" and adds certain financial institutions as mandated reporters; (2) adds definitions of "protective services" and "self-neglect", and requires that suspected self-neglect be reported under the Act; (3) requires that a law enforcement officer accompany the representative of a provider agency on the first visit to a victim; (4) makes changes concerning the investigation of reports under the Act; (5) adds entities entitled to access to records of reports under the Act; (6) provides for cooperation between the Department on Aging and local law enforcement agencies; (7) authorizes actions to be taken in an emergency; and (8) makes other changes. In provisions of the Criminal Code of 1961 concerning the offense of financial exploitation of an elderly person or a person with a disability, (i) in the definition of "person with a disability", removes a reference to a "permanent" impairment and (ii) provides that "intimidation" also means the communication to an elderly person or a person with a disability that he or she will be deprived of contact with family members or a care provider or will be unnecessarily moved from his or her current residence to another residence or to a facility.