9th District Lawmakers Renew Bills To Boost Identity Theft Penalties For Seniors, Veterans

TRENTON, NJ — New Jersey’s 9th District legislative delegation has reintroduced a package of bills aimed at identity theft and the financial exploitation of older adults.

Sen. Carmen Amato Jr., Assemblyman Brian Rumpf and Assemblyman Gregory Myhre said one measure, S-1526/A-2808, would strengthen penalties for identity theft when the victim is a senior citizen or veteran.

According to the joint announcement, the bill would upgrade identity theft offenses by one degree when the victim is a senior or veteran. The statement says that change would be consistent with State law, which determines the severity of the offense based on the amount stolen. The lawmakers said the proposal is intended to better protect groups they described as increasingly targeted.

“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,” Amato, Rumpf and Myhre said in a joint statement.

“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,” the joint statement said.

The 9th District delegation also introduced separate legislation, S-1525/A-2835, to establish the criminal offense of financial exploitation of the elderly. According to the announcement, the measure would prohibit a person in a position of trust from compelling or inducing an elderly individual to transfer property to themselves or a third party through fraud, false promises, extortion or intimidation.

The legislation defines a person in a position of trust to include, but not be limited to, individuals with fiduciary responsibilities or those who receive compensation for providing care to an elderly person, according to the announcement. The lawmakers also said they see bipartisan support as important to moving the identity theft measure forward.

“We are encouraged by the strong bipartisan support for this initiative, which will be critical to advancing it through the legislative process,” Amato, Rumpf and Myhre said in the joint statement.

Upon reintroduction for the 2026-2027 Legislative Session, S-1526 and A-2808 were referred to the Law and Public Safety Committees in their respective houses. The elderly financial exploitation legislation, S-1525 and A-2835, was referred to the Judiciary Committees in their respective houses.