Resolve, Establishing a Stakeholder Group To Examine Methods of Protecting the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities from Financial Exploitation
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1620
Committee: Health and Human Services

Legislative Document 
No. 1620 
S.P. 658 
In Senate, March 1, 2016 
Resolve, Establishing a Stakeholder Group To Examine Methods of 
Protecting the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities from Financial 
Exploitation 
Reported by Senator BRAKEY of Androscoggin for the Joint Standing Committee on 
Health and Human Services pursuant to Joint Order 2016, S.P. 639. 
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed 
pursuant to Joint Rule 218. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Secretary of the Senate 
Sec. 1.  Department of Health and Human Services; financial exploitation 
stakeholder group.  Resolved:  That the financial abuse specialist team in the 
Department of Health and Human Services' office of aging and disability services, 
referred to in this resolve as "the team," shall convene a stakeholder group to review the 
State's criminal laws, the Adult Protective Services Act in the Maine Revised Statutes, 
Title 22, chapter 958-A and any other relevant state laws to identify potential statutory 
changes to enable and support criminal prosecution of crimes against the elderly and 
persons with disabilities, including the enhancement of penalties for such crimes.  The 
team shall invite as participants in the stakeholder group, at a minimum, representatives 
from the Department of the Attorney General, including representatives of the health care 
crimes unit; the Maine Sheriffs' Association; the Maine Chiefs of Police Association; the 
Department of Public Safety, Bureau of State Police; the Maine Prosecutors' Association; 
the Maine Health Care Association; the long-term care ombudsman program described in 
Title 22, section 5107-A; Maine Legal Services for the Elderly; and the Department of 
Professional and Financial Regulation, Office of Securities.  The team shall, by January 
15, 2017, submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over health and human services matters detailing the stakeholder group's 
findings and any recommendations for legislation regarding changes to the State's laws to 
enable and support criminal prosecution of crimes against the elderly and persons with 
disabilities.  After reviewing the report, the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over health and human services matters may report out legislation 
relating to the report to the First Regular Session of the 128th Legislature. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve, which is a recommendation of the Commission To Study Difficult-to-
place Patients, directs the financial abuse specialist team in the Department of Health and 
Human Services' office of aging and disability services to convene a stakeholder group to 
review the State's criminal laws, the Adult Protective Services Act in the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 22, chapter 958-A and any other relevant state laws to identify potential 
statutory changes to enable and support criminal prosecution of crimes against the elderly 
and persons with disabilities, including the enhancement of penalties for such crimes.  
The financial abuse specialist team is directed to submit, by January 15, 2017, a report to 
the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human 
services matters detailing the stakeholder group's findings and any recommendations for 
legislation regarding changes to the State's laws to enable and support criminal 
prosecution of crimes against the elderly and persons with disabilities and the committee 
may report out legislation relating to the report.