HB-4260, As Passed Senate, July 6, 2004                                     

    SUBSTITUTE FOR

    HOUSE BILL NO. 4260

(As amended, July 1, 2004)                                                  

                                                                             A bill to amend 1931 PA 328, entitled                                             

"The Michigan penal code,"                                                  

by amending section 174a (MCL 750.174a), as added by 2000 PA                

222.                                                                        

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

1       Sec. 174a.  (1) A person  in a relationship of trust with a                 

2   vulnerable adult  shall not through fraud, deceit,                          

3   misrepresentation, coercion, or unjust enrichment obtain or use             

4   or attempt to obtain or use  the a vulnerable adult's money or             

5   property to directly or indirectly benefit that person <<knowing or having reason to know the vulnerable adult is a vulnerable adult>>.                    

6       (2) If the money or property used or obtained, or attempted                 

7   to be used or obtained, has a value of less than $200.00, the               

8   person is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for            

9   not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $500.00 or 3               

10  times the value of the money or property used or obtained or                

1   attempted to be used or obtained, whichever is greater, or both             

2   imprisonment and a fine.                                                    

3       (3) If any of the following apply, the person is guilty of a                

4   misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year             

5   or a fine of not more than $2,000.00 or 3 times the value of the            

6   money or property used or obtained or attempted to be used or               

7   obtained, whichever is greater, or both imprisonment and a fine:            

8       (a) The money or property used or obtained, or attempted to                 

9   be used or obtained, has a value of $200.00 or more but less than           

10  $1,000.00.                                                                  

11      (b) The person violates subsection (2) and has 1 or more                    

12  prior convictions for committing or attempting to commit an                 

13  offense under this section.                                                 

14      (4) If any of the following apply, the person is guilty of a                

15  felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a            

16  fine of not more than $10,000.00 or 3 times the value of the                

17  money or property used or obtained or attempted to be used or               

18  obtained, whichever is greater, or both imprisonment and a fine:            

19      (a) The money or property used or obtained, or attempted to                 

20  be used or obtained, has a value of $1,000.00 or more but less              

21  than $20,000.00.                                                            

22      (b)  the The person violates subsection (3)(a) and has 1 or                

23  more prior convictions for committing or attempting to commit an            

24  offense under this section.  For purposes of this subdivision,              

25  however, a prior conviction does not include a conviction for a             

26  violation or attempted violation of subsection (2) or (3)(b).               

27      (5) If any of the following apply, the person is guilty of a                

1   felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 10 years or a           

2   fine of not more than $15,000.00 or 3 times the value of the                

3   money or property used or obtained or attempted to be used or               

4   obtained, whichever is greater, or both imprisonment and a fine:            

5       (a) The money or property used or obtained, or attempted to                 

6   be used or obtained, has a value of $20,000.00 or more.                     

7       (b) The person violates subsection (4)(a) and has 2 or more                 

8   prior convictions for committing or attempting to commit an                 

9   offense under this section.  For purposes of this subdivision,              

10  however, a prior conviction does not include a conviction for a             

11  violation or attempted violation of subsection (2) or (3)(b).               

12      (6) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the                    

13  values of money or property used or obtained or attempted to be             

14  used or obtained in separate incidents pursuant to a scheme or              

15  course of conduct within any 12-month period may be aggregated to           

16  determine the total value of money or personal property used or             

17  obtained or attempted to be used or obtained.  If the scheme or             

18  course of conduct is directed against only 1 person, no time                

19  limit applies to aggregation under this subsection.                         

20      (7) If the prosecuting attorney intends to seek an enhanced                 

21  sentence based upon the defendant having 1 or more prior                    

22  convictions, the prosecuting attorney shall include on the                  

23  complaint and information a statement listing the prior                     

24  conviction or convictions.  The existence of the defendant's                

25  prior conviction or convictions shall be determined by the court,           

26  without a jury, at sentencing or at a separate hearing for that             

27  purpose before sentencing.  The existence of a prior conviction             

1   may be established by any evidence relevant for that purpose,               

2   including, but not limited to, 1 or more of the following:                  

3       (a) A copy of the judgment of conviction.                                   

4       (b) A transcript of a prior trial, plea-taking, or                          

5   sentencing.                                                                 

6       (c) Information contained in a presentence report.                          

7       (d) The defendant's statement.                                              

8       (8) If the sentence for a conviction under this section is                  

9   enhanced by 1 or more prior convictions, those prior convictions            

10  shall not be used to further enhance the sentence for the                   

11  conviction under section 10, 11, or 12 of chapter IX of the code            

12  of criminal procedure, 1927 PA 175, MCL 769.10, 769.11, and                 

13  769.12.                                                                     

14      (9) A financial institution or a broker or a director,                      

15  officer, employee, or agent of a financial institution or broker            

16  is not in violation of this section while performing duties in              

17  the normal course of business of a financial institution or                 

18  broker or a director, officer, employee, or agent of a financial            

19  institution or broker.                                                      

20      (10) This section does not prohibit a person from being                     

21  charged with, convicted of, or punished for any other violation             

22  of law the person commits while violating this section.                     

23      (11) As used in this section:                                               

24      (a) "Broker" means that term as defined in section 8102 of                  

25  the uniform commercial code, 1974 PA 1962, MCL 440.8102.                    

26      (b) "Financial institution" means a bank, credit union,                     

27  saving bank, or a savings and loan chartered under state or                 

House Bill No. 4260 as amended June 1, 2004                                 

1   federal law or an affiliate of a bank, credit union, saving bank,           

2   or savings and loan chartered under state or federal law.                   

3   (c) "Person in a relationship of trust" means a person who                  

4   is a caregiver, relative by blood, marriage, or adoption,                   

5   household member, court-appointed fiduciary, or other person who            

6   is entrusted with or has assumed responsibility for the                     

7   management of the vulnerable adult's money or property.

8   (c)  (d)  "Vulnerable adult" means <<an individual age 18 or

9   over who, because of age, developmental disability, mental

10  illness, or disability

11  whether or not determined by a court to be an incapacitated                 

12  individual in need of protection, lacks the cognitive skills,               

13  required to manage his or her

14  property. that term as defined in section 145m, whether or not the individual has been determined by the court to be incapacitated.>>

15      (12) If the office of services to the aging becomes aware of                

16  a violation of this section, the office of services to the aging            

17  shall promptly report the violation to the family independence              

18  agency.                                                                     

19      Enacting section 1.  This amendatory act takes effect <<September 

20  1, 2004>>.