Golden Leads Senate Passage Of Legislation To Protect New York's Seniors From Danger
State Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C, 22nd District), Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee, today is announcing that legislation he introduced, S. 1826, designed to protect New York’s elderly, has gained the approval of the New York State Senate.
The legislation seeks to establish the crime of criminal neglect of a vulernable elderly person with a disability enforceable as a class A misdemeanor in instances where acts of a caregiver are likely to cause the person’s life to be endangered, their health to be injured, or a preexisting physical or mental condition to deteriorate. Further, care givers would be subjected to this penalty when they fail to perform acts which he or she knows to be necessary to maintain or preserve the life or health of a person, or knowingly abandons the person, a growing practice referred to as "Granny-dumping".
Senator Golden stated, "It is my intention as Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee to do everything in my power to protect and enhance the quality of life of New York’s senior citizens. We can no longer allow individuals in our society to take advantage of our elderly or allow those who are to care for them, to frighten, threaten and harm them. This is a major step in bringing about a safer New York for our elderly."
The Senate today also passed Golden sponsored legislation, S. 1827, to prevent the financial exploitation of the elderly. The bill will allow prosecutions for financial abuse of senior citizens by creating a new crime which would aid seniors in defense when money is taken from their checking accounts or trust funds.
Golden continued, "There are presently 3.2 million senior citizens in New York State, 18% of our population, and a figure that each day grows. New York State is aging before our very eyes and as we see more seniors in our communities with more needs, we have been forced to hear more unpleasant reports of abuse and financial exploitation. This legislation will give prosecutors the laws they need to address these occurrences of elderly victimization.
