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SB-1191 Crimes: elder and dependent adult abuse: investigations. (2017-2018)

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Date Published: 09/18/2018 09:00 PM
SB1191:v93#DOCUMENT

Senate Bill No. 1191
CHAPTER 513

An act to amend Section 368.5 of the Penal Code, relating to elder and dependent adult abuse.

[ Approved by Governor  September 18, 2018. Filed with Secretary of State  September 18, 2018. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 1191, Hueso. Crimes: elder and dependent adult abuse: investigations.
Existing law makes it a crime for a person entrusted with the care or custody of any elder or dependent adult to willfully cause him or her to be injured or permit him or her to be placed in a situation in which his or her person or health is endangered. Existing law also authorizes county adult protective services agencies and local long-term care ombudsman programs to investigate elder and dependent adult abuse, but grants law enforcement agencies the exclusive responsibility for criminal investigations.
This bill would require local law enforcement agencies, as defined, and long-term care ombudsman programs to revise or include in their policy manuals, as defined, specified information regarding elder and dependent adult abuse.
By requiring local agencies to revise their policy manuals, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 368.5 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

368.5.
 (a) Local law enforcement agencies and state law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction shall have concurrent jurisdiction to investigate elder and dependent adult abuse and all other crimes against elder victims and victims with disabilities.
(b) Adult protective services agencies and local long-term care ombudsman programs also have jurisdiction within their statutory authority to investigate elder and dependent adult abuse and criminal neglect, and may assist local law enforcement agencies in criminal investigations at the law enforcement agencies’ request; however, law enforcement agencies retain exclusive responsibility for criminal investigations, notwithstanding any law to the contrary.
(c) (1) Every local law enforcement agency and long-term care ombudsman program shall, when the agency or program next undertakes the policy revision process, revise or include in the portion of its policy manual relating to elder and dependent adult abuse, if that policy manual exists, the following information:
(A) The elements of the offense specified in subdivision (c) of Section 368.
(B) The elements of the offense specified in subdivision (f) of Section 368.
(C) The requirement, pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b), that law enforcement agencies have the responsibility for criminal investigations of elder and dependent adult abuse and criminal neglect, however, adult protective services agencies and long-term care ombudsman programs have authority to investigate incidents of elder and dependent adult abuse and neglect and may, if requested, assist law enforcement agencies with criminal investigations.
(D) As a guideline to investigators and first responders, the definition of elder and dependent adult abuse provided by the Department of Justice in its policy and procedures manual, dated March 2015, which defines elder and dependent adult abuse as physical “abuse, neglect, financial abuse, abandonment, isolation, abduction, or other treatment with resulting physical harm or pain or mental suffering; or the deprivation by a care custodian of goods or services that are necessary to avoid physical harm or mental suffering.”
(2) This subdivision does not require a long-term care ombudsman program that does not have a policy manual to create or adopt a policy manual.
(3) As used in this subdivision, the following terms have the following meanings:
(A) “Local law enforcement agency” means every municipal police department and county sheriffs’ department.
(B) “Policy manual” means any general orders, patrol manual, duty manual, or other written document or collection of documents that provides field or investigative personnel with policies, procedures, or guidelines for responding to or investigating crimes, complaints, or incidents.

SEC. 2.

 If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.