House Bill No. 5210, reported favorably by the Committee on Aging, proposes the establishment of an Elder Justice Unit within the Division of Criminal Justice. This bill, effective October 1, 2024, requires the Chief State's Attorney to administer various units within the Division of Criminal Justice, including the newly added Elder Justice Unit, which will be responsible for the investigation and prosecution of criminal matters involving crimes against elderly persons. The bill includes insertions that modify the language of the current law, replacing gender-specific pronouns with gender-neutral language and specifying the establishment of the Elder Justice Unit.

The bill also includes fiscal implications, with an estimated cost of $548,299 in FY 25 and $684,399 in FY 26 to the Division of Criminal Justice, and additional fringe benefit costs to the State Comptroller. The Elder Justice Unit will require eight new positions, including salaries, one-time costs for office furniture, equipment, and training, as well as ongoing annual costs for other expenses. The bill's fiscal note anticipates that these costs will continue into the future, subject to inflation. The bill makes additional technical and conforming changes to align with the establishment of the Elder Justice Unit.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 51-279b
AGE Joint Favorable: 51-279b
File No. 125: 51-279b