Bill > SB650

This bill addresses financial exploitation of vulnerable adults by caregivers by creating a new criminal offense with specific legal definitions and penalties. The bill defines a vulnerable adult as a person 18 or older who cannot communicate or make responsible decisions, cannot perform essential daily activities, or cannot protect themselves from financial exploitation. A caregiver is defined as someone who has assumed responsibility for the care, supervision, or physical control of a vulnerable adult. The bill outlines six specific ways a caregiver can financially exploit a vulnerable adult, including taking or misappropriating assets without authorization, breaching fiduciary duties, misusing personal accounts, failing to use income for the adult's necessities, or using coercion and manipulation to take assets. To qualify as a criminal offense, the total value of assets taken must exceed $50,000. The legislature notes that financial exploitation of vulnerable adults is a significant and under-reported problem, with only one in forty-four cases of elder financial abuse being reported. As a result, the bill establishes financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult by a caregiver as a Class A felony, which represents the most serious category of felony offenses, to provide additional legal protection for vulnerable populations. The act will take effect on July 1, 2025, and does not apply to rights, penalties, or proceedings that occurred before its effective date.

Health and Social Services

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=650&year=2026