ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-fourth Legislature

Second Regular Session

House: HHS DP 8-0-0-1

HB 2540: emotional abuse; vulnerable adults

Sponsor: Representative Longdon, LD 24

House Engrossed

Overview

Defines emotional abuse in the statutes relating to adult protective services.

History

In 2019, the Speaker of the House of Representatives established the House Ad Hoc Committee on Abuse and Neglect of Vulnerable Adults (Committee). The purpose of the Committee was to review and identify best practices for the reporting and investigative processes to ensure the safety of vulnerable adults. One of the recommendations in the Committee's final report was to create a statutory definition of emotional abuse in Title 46 of the Arizona Revised Statutes.

Abuse is currently defined as: 1) intentional infliction of physical harm; 2) injury caused by negligent acts or omissions; 3) unreasonable confinement; or 4) sexual abuse or sexual assault (A.R.S. § 46-451).

Provisions

1. Adds emotional abuse to the definition of abuse in the statutes relating to adult protective services. (Sec. 1)

2. Defines emotional abuse as a pattern of ridiculing or demeaning a vulnerable adult, verbally harassing a vulnerable adult or threatening to inflict physical or emotional harm on a vulnerable adult that causes emotional damage that is evidenced by severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal untoward aggressive behavior and that is diagnosed by a medical doctor or psychologist. (Sec. 1)

3. Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1)

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7. Initials IG/ML House Engrossed

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