Puerto Rico’s Department of the Family (DF) voiced support Wednesday for two bills before the House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee aimed at imposing harsher criminal penalties on clandestine elder care homes and increasing prison time for elder abuse. In written testimony to the committee, DF Secretary Suzanne Roig said the measures would deter abuse amid a heavy caseload of elder maltreatment referrals.
She referenced Senate Bill 1071, approved by the Senate in late June, which would amend the Law for Establishments for Elderly Persons (Law 94-1977) to reclassify operating a clandestine elder care facility as a felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Roig said tools like permanent closure, confiscation, disqualification, and restitution would strengthen the state’s response to unlicensed operators.
Nicole Báez, director of Legal Advisory at DF, stated that Puerto Rico currently has 1,099 licensed elder care establishments.