Increases fines for failing to report suspected abuse or exploitation of institutionalized elderly person.

This bill (S 448) increases penalties for failure to report suspected abuse or exploitation of elderly people in institutional settings. It raises fines for individual staff members (like nurses or social workers) who fail to report from $500 to $1,500, and for their employing facilities from $2,500 to $5,000. The bill specifically targets those required to report under existing law - such as healthcare workers, social workers, and facility representatives - when they don’t report suspected abuse within mandated timeframes (2 hours for serious injury, 24 hours otherwise). It does not change reporting requirements or protections for reporters, only the financial penalties for noncompliance. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Health Committee.