Bill passes to protect

seniors and disabled adults

By Sara Beth Gregory, 16th District Senator

The highlight of the week for me was the Senate’s passage of Senate Bill 98, which would create an adult abuse registry to protect vulnerable seniors and disabled citizens. I am proud to be the primary sponsor of this long-needed legislation. Currently, there is no way for employers to check whether a prospective employee has a confirmed history of abuse. The current system also fails to give due process to those who are accused of abuse or neglect. On Thursday morning, I stood with Governor Beshear, Senate President Robert Stivers, and other legislators in a showing of bipartisan support for this legislation.

Senate Bill 98 does four things: it creates an adult abuse registry based on substantiated cases of abuse, neglect, and exploitation by paid caregivers; it guarantees due process for alleged perpetrators; it permits individuals to send this registry check to potential employers; and it requires vulnerable adult service providers to run a check when hiring so they know if the prospective employee is someone who has committed abuse.

During the committee hearing on this bill, we heard testimony from an individual who advocates for more protection of disabled adults. She bravely shared her story of having been beaten by an employee on a daily basis at a residential care facility. This abusive employee was eventually fired, but was not prosecuted. Later, she learned that the perpetrator of this abuse was hired by a similar provider in the community and continued working with vulnerable adults. This is but one example of why Kentucky needs a system to vet the people entrusted to the care of our seniors and disabled citizens.

Senate Bill 98 passed the chamber unanimously, and now moves to the House for consideration.

Another bill that is important for our region is Senate Bill 66, which also passed the Senate this week. Tourism is a major draw and economic engine in our communities around Lake Cumberland, Dale Hollow, and Green River Lake. One issue has been reports of overzealous actions by those patrolling our waters. Of course, safety on our lakes is also of paramount concern. To balance these concerns, Senate Bill 66 would establish in statute that Department of Fish and Wildlife Officers may only stop and enter boats if they have reasonable suspicion of a violation. Additionally, the bill provides for Fish and Wildlife Officers to be trained in hospitality, which help promote and protect our tourism industry.

Educational success is critical in our state, and Senate Bill 54 will help children be better-prepared for kindergarten. Statistics and data show that early childhood education is critical to future academic success. Senate Bill 54 would permit children to attend preschool for 15 hours per week, rather than nine, without changing licensing requirements. This measure would benefit preschool-aged children with two extra days of instruction, which will give them a better foundation for future academic success.

Legislation also passed the Senate this week involving the restoration of voting rights for felons and the creation of review panels in medical malpractice cases. However, not all the bills we consider are so far-reaching or complex. For example, House Bill 181 would allow broken eggs packaged for sale to be replaced with eggs of the same type, size, and sell-by date. This is just a small way to eliminate needless waste of food products.

As always, I invite you to contact me with feedback or concerns about legislative issues that interest you. You may contact me in Frankfort at 502-564-8100, toll-free at 800-372-7181, or by e-mail at sara.gregory@lrc.ky.gov. More information about the work of the Legislature is available on the Legislative Research Commission website, www.lrc.ky.gov, and you may also watch legislative proceedings live online at www.ket.org.