§346-224 Reports. (a) The following persons who, in the performance of their professional or official duties, know or have reason to believe that a vulnerable adult has incurred abuse or is in danger of abuse if immediate action is not taken shall promptly report the matter orally to the department:
(b) The initial oral report required by subsection (a) shall be followed as soon as possible by a written report to the department; provided that if a police department is the initiating agency, a written report shall not be required unless the police department declines to take further action and the department informs the police department that the department intends to investigate the oral report of abuse. A written report shall contain:
(c) This section shall not prohibit any person from reporting an incident that the person has reason to believe involves abuse that came to the person's attention in a private or nonprofessional capacity.
(d) Any person not enumerated in subsection (a) who has reason to believe that a vulnerable adult has incurred abuse or is in danger of abuse if immediate action is not taken may report the matter orally to the department.
(e) Any person who knowingly fails to report as required by this section or who wilfully prevents another person from reporting pursuant to this section shall be guilty of a petty misdemeanor.
(f) The department shall maintain a central registry of reported cases.
(g) Nothing in this section shall require a member of the clergy to report communications that are protected under rule 506 of the Hawaii rules of evidence. [L 1989, c 381, pt of §1; am L 1990, c 144, §1 and c 234, §2; am L 2008, c 154, §6; am L 2015, c 35, §9]