1. (a) A broker-dealer or investment adviser may delay a disbursement from an account of a vulnerable adult or an account on which a vulnerable adult is a beneficiary if:

   1. (1) The broker-dealer, investment adviser, or qualified individual reasonably believes, after initiating an internal review of the requested disbursement and the suspected financial exploitation, that the requested disbursement may result in financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult; and

   2. (2) The broker-dealer or investment adviser:

      1. a. Immediately, but in no event more than two business days after the requested disbursement, provides written notification of the delay and the reason for the delay to all parties authorized to transact business on the account, unless any such party is reasonably believed to have engaged in suspected or attempted financial exploitation of the vulnerable adult;
      2. b. Immediately, but in no event more than two business days after the requested disbursement, notifies the department and commission; and
      3. c. Continues its internal review of the suspected or attempted financial exploitation of the vulnerable adult, as necessary, and reports any additional results of the investigation to the department and commission within seven business days after the requested disbursement.

2. (b) Any delay of a disbursement as authorized by this section expires upon the sooner of:

   1. (1) A determination by the broker-dealer or investment adviser that the disbursement will not result in financial exploitation of the vulnerable adult.
   2. (2) Fifteen business days after the date on which the broker-dealer or investment adviser first delayed disbursement of the funds, unless either the department or the commission requests that the broker-dealer or investment adviser extend the delay, in which case the delay shall expire no more than 25 business days after the date on which the broker-dealer or investment adviser first delayed disbursement of the funds unless sooner terminated by either the department or commission or an order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
3. (c) A court of competent jurisdiction may enter an order extending the delay of the disbursement of funds or may order other protective relief based on the petition of the commission, department, broker-dealer, or investment adviser that initiated the delay under this section, or other interested party.

(Act 2016-141, §7.)