Oklahoma 2023 Regular Session

Oklahoma House Bill HB2741 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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3		-	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2741 Page 1 1
	3	+	HB2741 HFLR Page 1
	4	+	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
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28		-	ENGROSSED HOUSE
29		-	BILL NO. 2741 By: Duel and Roe of the House
	29	+	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION
30	30
31		-	~~and~~
	31	+	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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33		-	Weaver of the Senate
	33	+	1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
	34	+
	35	+	HOUSE BILL 2741 By: Duel
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	41	+	AS INTRODUCED
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	43	+	An Act relating to mental health; enacting the
	44	+	Oklahoma Elder Exploitation and Abuse Act; declari ng
	45	+	purpose and intent; defining terms; pro viding that
	46	+	civil actions may be filed in certain situations;
	47	+	providing venue provisions; providing relief that may
	48	+	be granted; providing who may bring a claim;
	49	+	authorizing the court to grant access to certain
	50	+	records; providing that claim survives death of
	51	+	vulnerable adult; providing that certain privileged
	52	+	relationships are not grounds for excluding evidence;
	53	+	providing for codification; and providing an
	54	+	effective date.
40	55
41		-	[ mental health - Neil's Law - Oklahoma Elder
42		-	Exploitation and Abuse Act - civil actions - venue
43		-	provisions - access to records - privileged
44		-	relationships – noncodification – codification -
45		-	effective date ]
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49	59		BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
50		-	SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law not to be
51		-	codified in the Oklahoma Statutes reads as follows:
52		-	This act shall be known and may be cited as "Neil's Law".
53		-	SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
	60	+	SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
54	61		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 14-101 of Title 43A, unless
55	62		there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
56	63		This act shall be known and ma y be cited as the "Oklahoma Elder
57	64		Exploitation and Abuse Act".
58		-	SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
	65	+	SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
59	66		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 14-102 of Title 43A, unless
60	67		there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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62		-	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2741 Page 2 1
	69	+	HB2741 HFLR Page 2
	70	+	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
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87	95		A. The purpose of the Oklahoma Elder Exploitation and Abuse Act
88	96		is to promote the general welfare of all citizens by establishing a
89	97		civil action for incapacitated persons and vulnerable adults which
90	98		provides for the protection of their rights and affords them a right
91	99		of civil action against those who neglect, exploit, or abuse them.
92	100		B. The purpose of the Oklahoma Elder Exploitation and Abuse Act
93	101		is to allow incapacitated persons and vulnerable adults , through
94	102		their legal representatives , to pursue claims against persons who
95	103		neglect, exploit, or abuse the incapacitated person or vulnerable
96	104		adult if he or she lacks the capacity to pursue such claims on his
97	105		or her own behalf.
98	106		C. The Oklahoma Elder Exploitation and Abuse Act does not
99		-	preclude an individual 's mandatory ~~responsibi lity~~ to report to Adult
	107	+	preclude an individual’s mandatory responsibility to report to Adult
100	108		Protective Services or law enforcement if there is reasonable cause
101	109		to believe a vulnerable adult is being abused, neglected, o r
102	110		exploited.
103	111		D. It is the intent of the Oklahoma State Legislature:
104	112		1. That the district court shall exercise the authority
105	113		conferred by the Oklahoma Elder Exploitation and Abuse Act to
106	114		encourage the development of maximum self-reliance and independence
107	115		of incapacitated persons and vulnerable adult s and make appointive
108	116		and other orders only to the extent necessitated by the mental and
109	117		adaptive limitations of other conditions of the incapacitated or
110	118		partially incapacitated person warranting the action; and
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112		-	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2741 Page 3 1
	120	+	HB2741 HFLR Page 3
	121	+	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
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137	146		2. That in performing their duties and exercising their powers,
138	147		legal representatives bringing claims under t his act for
139	148		incapacitated persons and vulnerable adults shall:
140	149		a. Assure, to the extent reasonably possible, that the
141	150		rights of the persons for whom they are appointed are
142	151		protected, and
143	152		b. Encourage, to the extent r easonably possible,
144	153		incapacitated person s and vulnerable adults to
145	154		participate to the maximum extent of their abilit ies
146	155		in all decisions which affect them concerning the
147	156		claims afforded them under this act.
148		-	SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
	157	+	SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
149	158		in the Oklahoma Statutes as S ection 14-103 of Title 43A, unless
150	159		there is created a d uplication in numbering, reads as follows:
151	160		A. When used in the Oklahoma Elder Exploitation and Abuse Act:
152	161		1. "Incapacitated person" means:
153	162		a. any person eighteen (18) years of age or older:
154	163		(1) who is impaired by reason of mental or physical
155	164		illness or disability, dementia or related
156	165		disease, developmental or intellectual disability
157	166		or other cause, and
158	167		(2) whose ability to receive and evaluat e information
159	168		effectively or to make and to communicate
160	169		responsible decisions is impaired to such an
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162		-	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2741 Page 4 1
	171	+	HB2741 HFLR Page 4
	172	+	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
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187	197		extent that such person lacks the capacity to
188	198		manage his or her financial resources or to meet
189	199		essential requirements for his or her mental or
190	200		physical health or safety without assistance from
191	201		others, or
192	202		b. a person for whom a guardian, limited guardian, or
193	203		conservator has been appointed pursuant to the
194	204		Oklahoma Guardianship and Conservatorship Act;
195	205		2. "Vulnerable adult" means an individual who is an
196	206		incapacitated person or who, because of physic al or mental
197	207		disability, including persons with Alzheimer's disease or othe r
198	208		dementias, incapacity, or other disability, is substantially
199	209		impaired in the ability to provide adequately for the care or
200	210		custody of himself or herself, or is unable to manage hi s or her
201	211		property and financial affairs effectively, or to meet essential
202	212		requirements for mental or physical health or safety, or to protect
203	213		himself or herself from abuse, neglect, or exploitation without
204	214		assistance from others;
205	215		3. "Caretaker" means a pe rson who has:
206	216		a. the responsibility for the care of a vulnera ble adult
207	217		or the financial management of the resources of a
208	218		vulnerable adult as a result of a family relationship,
209	219
210		-	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2741 Page 5 1
	220	+	HB2741 HFLR Page 5
	221	+	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
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235	246		b. assumed the responsibility for the ca re of a
236	247		vulnerable adult voluntarily, by contract, or as a
237	248		result of the ties of friendship, or
238	249		c. been appointed a guardian, limited guardian, or
239	250		conservator pursuant to the Oklahoma Guardianship and
240	251		Conservatorship Act;
241	252		4. "Abuse" means causing or perm itting:
242	253		a. the infliction of physical pai n, injury, sexual abuse,
243	254		sexual exploitation, unreasonable re straint or
244	255		confinement, mental anguish or personal degradation,
245	256		or
246	257		b. the deprivation of nutrition, clothing, shelter,
247	258		health care, or other care or servi ces without which
248	259		serious physical or men tal injury is likely to occur
249	260		to a vulnerable adult by a care taker or other person
250	261		providing services to a vulnerable adult;
251	262		5. "Exploitation" or "exploit" means an unjust or improper use
252	263		of the resources of a vuln erable adult for the profit or advantage,
253	264		pecuniary or otherwise, of a person other than the vulnerabl e adult
254	265		through the use of undue influence, coercion, harassment, duress,
255	266		deception, false representation or false pretense;
256	267		6. "Financial neglect" mean s repeated instances by a caretaker,
257	268		or other person, who has assumed the role of financial management,
258	269		of failure to use the resources available to restore or maintain the
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260		-	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2741 Page 6 1
	271	+	HB2741 HFLR Page 6
	272	+	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
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285	297		health and physical well -being of a vulnerable adult, including, but
286	298		not limited to:
287	299		a. squandering or negligently mismanagin g the money,
288	300		property, or accounts of a vulnerable adult,
289	301		b. refusing to pay for necessities or utilities in a
290	302		timely manner, or
291	303		c. providing substandard care to a vulnerable adult
292	304		despite the availability of adequ ate financial
293	305		resources;
294	306		7. "Neglect" means:
295	307		a. the failure to provide protection for a vulnerable
296	308		adult who is unable to protect his or her own
297	309		interest,
298	310		b. the failure to provide a vulnerable adult with
299	311		adequate shelter, nutrition, health care, or clot hing,
300	312		or
301	313		c. negligent acts or omissions tha t result in harm or the
302	314		unreasonable risk of harm to a vulner able adult
303	315		through the action, inaction, or lack of supervision
304	316		by a caretaker providing direct services;
305	317		8. "Personal degradation" means a willful ac t by a caretaker
306	318		intended to shame, degrade, humiliate or otherwise harm the personal
307	319		dignity of a vulnerable adult, or where the caretaker knew or
308	320		reasonably should have known the act would cause shame, degradation,
309	321
310		-	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2741 Page 7 1
	322	+	HB2741 HFLR Page 7
	323	+	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
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335	348		humiliation or harm to the personal dig nity of a reasonable person.
336	349		Personal degradation includes the taking, transmitting, or display
337	350		of an electronic image of a vulnerable adult by a caretaker, where
338	351		the caretaker's actions constitute a willful act intended to shame,
339	352		degrade, humiliate or ot herwise harm the personal dignity of the
340	353		dependent adult, or where the caretaker knew or reasonably shoul d
341	354		have known the act would cause shame, degradation, humiliation or
342	355		harm to the personal dignity of a reasonable person. Personal
343	356		degradation does not include:
344	357		a. the taking, transmission or dis play of an electronic
345	358		image of a vulnerable adult for the pur pose of
346	359		reporting vulnerable adult abuse to law enforcement,
347	360		the Department of Human Services or other regulatory
348	361		agency that oversees caretakers or en forces abuse or
349	362		neglect laws or rules,
350	363		b. the taking, transmission or display of an electronic
351	364		image of a vulnerable adult for the purpose of
352	365		treatment or diagnosis, or
353	366		c. the taking, transmission or display of an electronic
354	367		image of a vulnerable adult as part of an ongoing
355	368		investigation;
356	369		9. "Sexual abuse" means:
357	370		a. oral, anal, or vaginal penetration of a vu lnerable
358	371		adult by or through the union with the sexual organ of
359	372
360		-	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2741 Page 8 1
	373	+	HB2741 HFLR Page 8
	374	+	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
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385	399		a caretaker or other person providing services to the
386	400		vulnerable adult, or the anal or vaginal penetration
387	401		of a vulnerable adult by a caretaker or other person
388	402		providing services to the vulner able adult with any
389	403		other object, or
390	404		b. for the purpose of sexual gratification, the touching,
391	405		feeling or observation of the body or private parts of
392	406		a vulnerable adult by a caretaker or other pe rson
393	407		providing services to the vulnerable adult, or
394	408		c. indecent exposure by a caretaker or other person
395	409		providing services to the vulnerable adult;
396	410		10. "Indecent exposure" means forcing or requiring a vulnerabl e
397	411		adult to:
398	412		a. look upon the body or private parts of another person
399	413		or upon sexual acts performed in the presence of the
400	414		vulnerable adult, or
401	415		b. touch or feel the body or private parts of another;
402	416		11. "Sexual exploitation" includes, but is not limited t o, a
403	417		caretaker's causing, allowing, permitting or encouraging a
404	418		vulnerable adult to engage in prostitution or in the lewd, obscene,
405	419		or pornographic photographing, filming or depiction of the
406	420		vulnerable adult as those acts are defined by state law; and
407	421		12. "Verbal abuse" means the use of words, sounds , or other
408	422		communication including, but not limited to, gestu res, actions or
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410		-	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2741 Page 9 1
	424	+	HB2741 HFLR Page 9
	425	+	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
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435	450		behaviors, by a caretaker or other person providing services to a
436	451		vulnerable adult that are likely to cause a reasonable person to
437	452		experience humiliation, intimidation, fear, sham e or degradation.
438	453		B. Nothing in this section shall be constr ued to mean a
439	454		vulnerable adult is abused or neglected for the sole reason the
440	455		vulnerable adult, in good faith, selects and depends upon spiritual
441	456		means alone through prayer, in accordance with th e practices of a
442	457		recognized religious method of healing, for the treatment or cure of
443	458		disease or remedial care, or a caretaker or other person
444	459		responsible, in good faith, is furnishing such vulnerable adult
445	460		spiritual means alone through prayer, in accordan ce with the tenets
446	461		and practices of a recognized church or re ligious denomination, for
447	462		the treatment or cure of disease or remedial care in accordance with
448	463		the practices of or express consent of the vulnerable adult.
449		-	SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
	464	+	SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
450	465		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 14-104 of Title 43A, unless
451	466		there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
452	467		A. A claim for elder neglect, exploitation, or abuse, as
453	468		prescribed in this section, m ay be brought in any district court
454	469		within the county in the State of Oklahoma in which the vulnerable
455	470		adult lives or maintains his or her residence or was living at the
456	471		time of the act or omission giving rise to the claim.
457	472		B. A person who commits neglect or financial neglect against a
458	473		vulnerable adult, proven by a preponderance of the evidence , shall
459	474
460		-	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2741 Page 10 1
	475	+	HB2741 HFLR Page 10
	476	+	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
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485	501		be liable for actual damages in a n amount that compensates the
486	502		vulnerable adult for the loss he or she has incurred as a result
487	503		thereof and shall be liable for punitive damages as Oklahoma law
488	504		otherwise allows.
489	505		C. A person who commits exploitation or abuse of a vulnerable
490	506		adult, proven by a preponderance of the evidence, shall be liable
491	507		for damages three (3) times the actual damages incurred by the
492	508		vulnerable adult as a result thereof and shall be liable for
493	509		punitive damages as Oklahoma law otherwise allows.
494	510		D. The prevailing party in the claims prescribed in subsections
495	511		B and C of this section shall be entitled to recov er reasonable
496	512		attorney fees and costs.
497	513		E. The claims prescribed in this section shall follow and
498	514		otherwise be subject to the general laws governing civil claims
499	515		under Oklahoma law, including, without limitation, the provisions
500	516		found in Titles 12 and 23 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
501	517		F. The claims provided for by this section may be brought by
502	518		the vulnerable adult or on behalf of the vulnerable adult by his or
503	519		her guardian, limited guardian, conservator, agent under an
504	520		appropriate power of attorney, duly appoi nted representative of the
505	521		estate of the vulnerable adult, if deceased, or other legal
506	522		representative approved by the court.
507	523		G. In addition to any other documents or records to which the
508	524		vulnerable adult or his or her legal representative may be entitled
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510		-	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2741 Page 11 1
	526	+	HB2741 HFLR Page 11
	527	+	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
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535	552		in pursuit of the claim or claims prescribed in this section, the
536	553		court may authorize or direct t he vulnerable adult and his or her
537	554		legal representative access to and copies of financial, legal,
538	555		mental health, and physical health records of the vulnerable adult
539	556		in the possession of any physicia n, hospital, other health care
540	557		provider, firm, financial institution, lawyer, accountant,
541	558		counselor, broker, caregiver, corporation, other business entity, or
542	559		other facility or party. These records, upon order of the court,
543	560		shall be produced within ten (1 0) days, unless the court orders a
544	561		shorter time, and the records shall not be disclosed for any purpose
545	562		other than the purpose for which they have been obtained.
546	563		H. The claims provided for in this section survive the death of
547	564		the vulnerable adult.
548		-	SECTION 6. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
	565	+	SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
549	566		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 14-105 of Title 43A, unless
550	567		there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
551	568		The district court in which a claim authorized in this act is
552	569		filed may, upon proper application, issue a restraining order or
553	570		other injunctive relief to prohibit any further violation of this
554	571		act, regardless of the existence of any other remedy at law and in
555	572		addition thereto.
556		-	SECTION 7. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
	573	+	SECTION 6. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
557	574		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 14-106 of Title 43A, unless
558	575		there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
559	576
560		-	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2741 Page 12 1
	577	+	HB2741 HFLR Page 12
	578	+	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
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572	590		13
573	591		14
574	592		15
575	593		16
576	594		17
577	595		18
578	596		19
579	597		20
580	598		21
581	599		22
582	600		23
583	601		24
584	602
585	603		Subject to a specific court order, the physician-patient
586	604		privilege nor spousal privilege shall be grounds for excluding
587	605		evidence regarding th e neglect, exploitation, or abuse of a
588	606		vulnerable adult or the cause thereof in any judicial proceeding
589	607		arising under this act.
590		-	SECTION 8. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023.
591		-	Passed the House of Representatives the 14th day of March, 2023.
	608	+	SECTION 7. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023.
592	609
593		-
594		-
595		-
596		-	Presiding Officer of the House
597		-
598		-	of Representatives
599		-
600		-
601		-	Passed the Senate the ___ day of __________, 2023.
602		-
603		-
604		-
605		-
606		-	Presiding Officer of the Senate
607		-
608		-
	610	+	COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY - CIVIL, dated
	611	+	02/23/2023 - DO PASS.