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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | October 3, 2024 12:56 PM |
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| From: | Representative Tim Brennan and Rep. Steven R. Malagari |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Registry for Offenses Against Adults with Disabilities |
| Adults with a disability are seven times more likely to experience abuse than adults without a disability. In 2022, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) recorded over 16,600 reports of abuse with 59% of those reports being substantiated. The most frequent reports were for neglect with roughly a quarter of the reports being for caregiver neglect. Other reports included suspicious deaths, serious injury or bodily injury, and sexual abuse. Under state law, any individual found guilty of abusing an adult with a disability is required to be suspended or prohibited from employment at a health care facility. Although DHS maintains a hotline to report suspected abuse of an adult with a disability, which can be reached at 1-800-490-8505, unlike several other states, Pennsylvania does not currently have a registry for individuals who have a history of substantiated abuse of adults with disabilities. In February of 2022, former Governor Wolf formed a bipartisan Abuse/Neglect Registry Taskforce to address the need for tracking perpetrators of abuse or neglect of adults with disabilities in the Commonwealth. The taskforce published its recommendations for the establishment of an abuse and neglect registry in November of 2022 and our legislation would incorporate many of the recommendations of the bipartisan taskforce. Adults with disabilities deserve to have trustworthy and responsible caregivers to provide them with needed support and services without having to worry about potential harm from abusers. Having a reliable and accessible registry will help provide potentially lifesaving information for employers, families, and the individuals served. For these reasons, we will be introducing legislation that would create a registry of individuals who have a history of substantiated abandonment, abuse, exploitation, or neglect of adults with disabilities. Please join us in co-sponsoring this important legislation that would provide a needed safeguard in order to ensure all adults with disabilities are protected from abuse and neglect. |
Document #1
Introduced as HB2621
| Description: | Description: This bill would amend Act 70 of 2010 (Adult Protective Services Act) to implement an abuse and neglect registry in order to track perpetrators of abuse and neglect of adults with disabilities in Pennsylvania. |
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Document #2
Introduced as HB2622
| Description: | Description: This bill would amend Act 79 of 1987 (Older Adults Protective Services Act) to implement an abuse and neglect registry in order to track perpetrators of abuse and neglect of adults with disabilities in Pennsylvania. |
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Memo Updated: October 3, 2024 12:57 PM