Shelby Review

Four bills introduced by State Sen. Peter J. Lucido (R-Shelby Township) to strengthen penalties against those who seek to cause harm to elderly and vulnerable adults have moved to out of committee and into the full Senate.

Senate Bills 108, 109, 412 and 413 each focus on strengthening sentences and penalties for those who go after elderly and vulnerable adults, including embezzlement, assault and converting personal or real property.

"Senate Bills 108, 109 deal with assaulting the vulnerable and 412 and 413 are the ones where you convert the property for your own from the vulnerable or elderly," Lucido said in an interview with Shelby Review. "If you abuse the elderly, a bruise or broken bone may heal itself, but you're still dealing with someone who is taking advantage of a vulnerable adult."

Lucido said the bills came out of committee on Sept. 5.

"When you're stealing from a vulnerable adult—money and property is something that can be replaced but not at that age when they've worked all their lives and built their nest egg and now you've stolen it and the golden years they were supposed to have," Lucido said.

Lucido said they're working to get things done.

"It was voted out and now it goes for a full vote before the Senate and then will make its way to the House of Representatives," Lucido said. "Everything is working out really good."

The Macomb County prosector's office supports Lucido's legislation, according to a Facebook post. 

Macomb County Prosecutor Chief of Operations Derek Miller testified during the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee in favor of the legislation.

Senate Bills 108 and 109 provide that anyone who assaults a vulnerable adult is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than one year or a fine of not more than $1,000, or both and that someone who already has committed one offense and commits a second will be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than five years or a fine of not more than $5,000, or both.

Senate Bills 412 and 413 lay out fines and imprisonment for conversion of property, from one year and $1,000 to 25 years and $100,000 in fines.

The legislation will now head to the full state Senate.