Senator Carmen Amato, Jr., Assemblyman Brian Rumpf, and Assemblyman Gregory Myhre announced on Apr. 15 the reintroduction of legislation aimed at increasing penalties for identity theft when the victims are senior citizens or veterans.
The lawmakers said that seniors and veterans are particularly vulnerable to identity theft because they often participate in government programs such as veterans’ benefits and disability payments. The proposed legislation seeks to address this vulnerability by making penalties more severe in cases where these groups are targeted.
Amato, Rumpf, and Myhre issued a joint statement: “Seniors and veterans are increasingly alarmed at the growing threat of identity theft. These individuals are often targeted due to their participation in government programs, including veterans’ benefits and disability payments.” They continued, “To better protect these vulnerable populations, penalties must be strengthened to address this escalating crime and serve as a meaningful deterrent. Under our legislation, identity theft offenses would be upgraded by one degree when the victim is a senior or veteran, consistent with State law, which determines the severity of the offense based on the amount stolen.”
They also said, “We are encouraged by the strong bipartisan support for this initiative, which will be critical to advancing it through the legislative process.” In addition to this measure (S-1526/A-2808), another bill (S-1525/A-2835) has been introduced by the same delegation that would establish financial exploitation of elderly individuals as a criminal offense. This second proposal targets people in positions of trust who might use fraud or intimidation to compel elderly individuals into transferring property.
Both pieces of legislation have been referred to relevant committees for further consideration. S-1526 and A-2808 were sent to Law and Public Safety Committees while S-1525 and A-2835 were referred to Judiciary Committees.
For background on legislative work in New Jersey’s Senate—including sponsoring bills related to key state issues—Senator Anthony M. Bucco provides constituent services through his district office according to the official website. Bucco serves as Senate Republican Leader for District 25; he chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee while also serving on both Judiciary and Budget Committees according to official sources.
