ASSEMBLY, No. 655

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman  VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE

District 37 (Bergen)

Assemblyman  JOE DANIELSEN

District 17 (Middlesex and Somerset)

Assemblywoman  SHANIQUE SPEIGHT

District 29 (Essex)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywomen McKnight and N.Munoz

SYNOPSIS

     Requires DHS to ensure distribution to senior citizens of notice from Division of Consumer Affairs concerning risks and prevention of fraud.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

An Act concerning the distribution of information to a senior citizen and supplementing Titles 30 and 52 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1.    a.  The Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety shall prepare a notice that, at a minimum:

     (1)   provides information to alert a senior citizen about the different ways in which the senior citizen may be contacted for, or lured into providing, information or funds for a fraudulent purpose; and

     (2)   advises a senior citizen of ways to prevent the loss of funds or identity theft.

     b.    The notice prepared pursuant to this section shall be distributed pursuant to section 2 of P.L.      , c.     (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

     2.    The Commissioner of Human Services shall ensure the distribution of the notice prepared by the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety pursuant to section 1 of P.L.      , c.      (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), by requiring an organization, which receives State funding from the Department of Human Services and sends a printed or electronic communication to a senior citizen 60 years of age or older, to include with the communication the notice that is prepared pursuant to section 1 of P.L.   , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) concerning the ways in which a senior citizen may be contacted for, or lured into providing, information or funds for a fraudulent purpose, and the ways to prevent the loss of funds or identity theft.

     3.    This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

     This bill requires the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety to prepare a notice about fraudulent practices that affect senior citizens, and requires the Commissioner of Human Services to ensure its distribution.

     Under the bill, the director would prepare a notice that, at a minimum, provides information to alert a senior citizen about the different ways in which the senior citizen may be contacted for, or lured into providing, information or funds for a fraudulent purpose, and the ways to prevent the loss of funds or identity theft.

     The Commissioner of Human Services is to ensure the distribution of the notice, by requiring an organization, which receives State funding from the Department of Human Services and sends a printed or electronic communication to a senior citizen 60 years of age or older, to include with the communication the notice prepared by the Division of Consumer Affairs.