Criminal Justice (Sentencing)

SB 15 modifies penalty rules for crimes against vulnerable adults by distinguishing between "elder persons" (typically age 60+) and "adults at risk" (vulnerable due to disability or other factors). For elder victims, it eliminates the defense that a defendant didn’t know the victim’s age, automatically applying enhanced penalties. For "adults at risk," penalties only increase if the defendant actually knew the victim’s vulnerable status. The bill applies to crimes like assault, financial exploitation, and sexual assault, changing how courts assess penalties based on victim classification. It does not create new penalties but adjusts existing sentencing rules for these specific victim categories.