Senate Bill 15 aims to enhance protections and penalties for adults at risk, particularly in cases of sexual assault, physical abuse, and financial exploitation. The bill reclassifies acts of sexual misconduct against adults at risk from a Class C felony to a Class B felony, regardless of the perpetrator's knowledge of the victim's status. It also extends the existing legal framework for freezing assets in financial exploitation cases to include adults at risk, allowing courts to preserve assets for potential restitution. Additionally, the bill aligns penalties for physical abuse of adults at risk with those currently in place for elder abuse, and it allows for increased prison sentences based on the victim's status as an adult at risk.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the process for obtaining restraining orders, permitting adults at risk to participate in hearings via telephone or audiovisual means, thereby improving accessibility. Key legal definitions are updated to include "adult at risk," and various sections of existing statutes are amended to reflect these changes. The bill emphasizes that increased penalties apply irrespective of whether the defendant was aware of the victim's status, reinforcing the legal protections for vulnerable individuals.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 343.12(7)(c)9j, 343.12, 813.12(5b), 813.12, 813.123(6g), 813.123, 813.125(5b), 813.125, 911.01(4)(c), 911.01, 939.623(title), 939.623, 939.623(2)(intro.), 939.623(3), 940.198(title), 940.198, 940.198(1)(b), 940.198(2)(a), 940.198(2)(b)