The Nassau Legislature's Public Safety Committee held a hearing Tuesday on contractor fraud during which county lawmakers questioned officials from the Nassau District Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors said that while they investigate each and every complaint made, state law sets a high standard for prosecution in such cases. In fact, the DA's office could point to just one case in which a local contractor was convicted of fraud.

That prompted the only state lawmaker in attendance, Assemblywoman Missy Miller, to say: "Do I need to go back to Albany and say, 'We need to do something about this penal law,' so that it's easier to prosecute these criminals? Because that's what they are."

Elizabeth Treston, of Long Beach, says it was easier to survive Superstorm Sandy than deal with its aftermath. Treston says she is one of many South Shore residents who were victimized by unscrupulous contractors. She says the fraud continues to this day.

Treston is now back in her home but says some of her neighbors never will be. She says they're out of money and out of hope after being victimized twice -- once by the storm, and then by the contractors who she says continue to take the money and run.

Representatives from the Nassau DA's Financial Crimes Bureau say prosecutors are aggressively bringing misdemeanor charges against contractors who are operating without a license.