Relating to: financial exploitation of vulnerable adults.

AB 972 allows banks and credit unions to refuse or delay specific financial transactions and decline to accept a power of attorney for vulnerable adults when they reasonably suspect financial exploitation. Financial institutions must report suspected exploitation to adult-at-risk agencies and notify authorized account holders (excluding suspected perpetrators), while maintaining legal immunity for good-faith actions. This law directly affects vulnerable adults (elderly or disabled individuals at risk of exploitation), financial institutions, and the agencies that handle exploitation reports. It creates clear procedures for institutions to act preventively without facing liability, focusing on concrete safeguards rather than new penalties or funding.