Attorney General's office backs expansion of financial exploitation penalties but committee narrows consecutive sentencing option

Senate Bill 466 would change the law governing theft and financial exploitation of vulnerable adults, clarifying mental-state elements and adding protections in the health-care context. The Attorney General’s Office testified in support but noted a key difference between House and Senate versions: the Senate removed the possibility of consecutive sentencing in the health-care context.

An AG Office witness said the Senate bill narrows the “intent to deprive” language by including unauthorized control, removes age‑based protections except in the healthcare provider–patient context, and eliminated consecutive sentencing (making sentences concurrent in that context). The witness said removing consecutive sentencing may reduce sentencing options for cases that involve both exploitation and an underlying theft or assault, and viewed concurrent-only sentences as a limitation compared with existing practice for physical abuse, where stacking is allowed.

Delegates asked for examples where consecutive sentencing would produce different outcomes; the AG's office suggested cases in which a caregiver both steals and separately exploits a vulnerable adult—charging both theft and exploitation can justify a stronger, case‑specific sentence. Other members said the bill’s main aim included making perpetrators ineligible for future caregiving roles through clearer exploitation charges, not solely increasing punishment.

The committee discussed whether concurrent sentencing would leave victims’ experiences reflected on the public record; proponents said concurrent sentencing could make exploitation charges redundant in practice if the underlying theft sufficed. Testimony closed with committee members acknowledging the trade‑offs and preparing to consider amendments.