New Pa Law Aims To Protect Seniors From Abuse

Legislation introduced by Rep. Kate Klunk, R-Hanover, to combat elder abuse was approved by the Senate late last month and later signed by the governor.

Under Klunk’s bill, House Bill 1431, posting pictures of care dependent individuals without permission will be graded as a third-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a fine up to $2,500.

Now named as Act 49 of 2021, it was part of a package of four bills aimed at protecting seniors from scams, neglect, or being taken advantage of.

“Over the past few years, there have been many well-documented instances of elder abuse through the posting of demeaning pictures of senior citizens on the internet,” Klunk said. “My House Bill 1431 seeks to end this horrific practice by making it a crime for care providers to take, post or share demeaning and humiliating images and videos of any care-dependent person, such as a senior citizen in a care facility.”