CARSON CITY -- Banking lobbyists argued Wednesday against a bill that makes it a misdemeanor for a bank employee to fail to report financial abuse of an elderly person, saying it could make criminals out of bank tellers.

AB87 expands an existing law requiring reporting elder abuse to include employees of financial institutions that deal directly with someone 60 or older or that review their financial transactions.

Keri Bailey, a lobbyist with the Nevada Credit Union League, said the bill targets the wrong people and sets up an adversarial relationship with customers that banks hope to serve.

"The criminal in elder financial abuse should be the abuser, not credit union employees," Bailey told the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

The Nevada Banking Association also conveyed concerns that the bill would open banks to lawsuits and asked for amendments to allow immunity from civil liability if a report doesn't result in an actual finding of abuse.

Washoe County District Attorney Karl Hall backed the bill, saying it would help adult protective services and law enforcement get a handle on elder abuse. He said financial exploitation occurs more often than physical abuse.

Judiciary Chairman Bernie Anderson, D-Sparks, wondered how employees who are not close with customers would be able to spot suspicious transactions: "How will the average bank teller know this is out of the ordinary?"

Hall responded, "All we want to do is get the ball rolling, to see if there is something going on."

William Uffelman of the Nevada Banking Association said it is not always clear to a bank teller who spends minimal time with a customer whether abuse is taking place.

The National Center on Elder Abuse estimates that there were almost 400,000 reports of elder abuse in the United States in 2004.