H.B. 490 - Summary

• Lowers the age threshold for enhanced penalties for crimes against seniors from 62 years to 60 years of age

• Adds requirement that the perpetrator know or reasonably should know the victim's age for enhanced penalties to apply in assault, theft, forgery, and unauthorized entry offenses

• Creates new first-degree assault offense for causing substantial bodily injury to persons 60 years or older and new second-degree assault provision for causing bodily injury to seniors

• Adds first-degree and second-degree theft provisions with enhanced penalties for theft from senior victims, including property of any value or property/services exceeding $250 or $750

• Adds first-degree and second-degree forgery provisions with enhanced penalties when the forged instrument's purported maker or drawer is 60 years or older and the perpetrator knows or should know this fact