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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Ken Smith |
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Smith bill to protect patients at personal care facilities
approved by House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee
HARRISBURG, March 20 – State Rep Ken Smith, D-Lackawanna, said the House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee approved legislation this week that would further protect patients in assisted living and long-term care facilities in Pennsylvania.
Smith's legislation (H.B. 56) would require employees and administrators at assisted living and long-term care facilities to report any patient neglect cases within 48 hours to protective service agencies, such as area agencies on aging.
The Lackawanna legislator said Pennsylvania's current law only requires the reporting of abuse, not neglect.
"My legislation would protect residents of long-term care facilities from suffering because hospital workers would be required to report cases of serious neglect," Smith said.
In addition, Smith's bill would call for fines of up to $2,500 or one year in prison or both, for owners or administrators of assisted living and long-term care facilities when neglect is not reported.
Smith said people who don’t report an incident to authorities would be charged with a summary offence for the first violation and a third-degree misdemeanor for second and subsequent violations.
Smith said he hopes his legislation will be considered soon by the full House.
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