PHOENIX — Arizona Sen. Mark Finchem (R-1) says lawmakers may pursue changes to state law after a Senate committee heard testimony alleging financial exploitation and oversight failures involving court-appointed fiduciaries, guardians ad litem, and conservators. Finchem, who chairs the Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Elder Abuse, said the testimony presented during Tuesday’s hearing raised serious concerns about whether Arizona’s current guardianship and conservatorship systems adequately protect seniors and vulnerable adults.

The committee was created to review claims of elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation, and to hear from families, advocates, experts, and other stakeholders about possible gaps in state law. During the hearing, lawmakers heard allegations involving financial misconduct, misuse of authority, and failures in court-supervised arrangements intended to protect vulnerable people.

“What I heard during Tuesday’s hearing was beyond disturbing,” Finchem said, highlighting concerns expressed by some families that the system has failed the very people it is supposed to protect. “No vulnerable adult should spend a lifetime building financial security only to have it stripped away by individuals entrusted to protect them,” Finchem added, recalling one witness who told the committee Arizona has “a legal system, not a justice system.”

Finchem said the committee’s work is aimed at identifying potential reforms before the next legislative session. Those discussions could include stronger oversight of fiduciaries and court-appointed representatives, additional protections for families, and clearer consequences for misconduct.

“If the allegations presented to this committee are substantiated, those responsible should face serious consequences,” Finchem said. “Accountability must take place.”

He also added that referrals to federal prosecutors remain possible in the most serious cases where evidence of criminal conduct is identified. He acknowledged that Arizonans should be able to trust that guardians, conservators, and other court-appointed representatives are acting in the best interests of the people they serve, rather than exploiting their authority for personal gain.

The committee is expected to continue reviewing testimony and working with stakeholders as lawmakers prepare potential legislation.