SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2496        FILED ON: 3/21/2016

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2277

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Patricia D. Jehlen

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act protecting elders and persons with disabilities.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Patricia D. Jehlen

Second Middlesex

 

Paul R. Heroux

2nd Bristol

3/30/2016

Paul J. Donato

35th Middlesex

3/30/2016

Mathew Muratore

1st Plymouth

3/30/2016

Elizabeth A. Poirier

14th Bristol

3/30/2016

Michelle M. DuBois

10th Plymouth

3/30/2016

Steven Ultrino

33rd Middlesex

3/30/2016

James J. Dwyer

30th Middlesex

3/30/2016

Carole A. Fiola

6th Bristol

3/30/2016

Michael F. Rush

Norfolk and Suffolk

3/30/2016

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

3/31/2016

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

3/31/2016

Kenneth I. Gordon

21st Middlesex

3/31/2016

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

3/31/2016

Mark C. Montigny

Second Bristol and Plymouth

3/31/2016

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

3/31/2016

Chris Walsh

6th Middlesex

4/1/2016

Timothy J. Toomey, Jr.

26th Middlesex

4/1/2016

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

4/5/2016

Harriette L. Chandler

First Worcester

4/11/2016


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2496        FILED ON: 3/21/2016

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2277

By Ms. Jehlen, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2277) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Patricia D. Jehlen, Paul R. Heroux, Paul J. Donato, Mathew Muratore and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to protecting elders and persons with disabilities.  Elder Affairs.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

_______________

 

An Act protecting elders and persons with disabilities.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 18(a) of chapter 19A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 official edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the fifth paragraph the following new paragraphs:-

“If the district attorney initiates criminal proceedings, the individual charged  shall be prohibited from any further contact with the elder, and shall not provide direct caregiving services to any other elder individual until the adjudicatory process is completed.

If an individual is charged with a crime arising out of a report of abuse under section 15 and pleads guilty, pleads no lo contendere, or is found guilty of that charge or if the case arising out of the report of abuse is continued without a finding, that individual shall not be hired by any facility, home health agency or homemaker agency in a direct service or supervisory capacity nor shall they offer their services, whether publicly or privately funded, as a caregiver or in any other direct service capacity to persons with physical, intellectual or developmental disabilities, children, persons with a mental illness or elderly persons. Any individual in violation of this section shall be subject to a fine of not more than five thousand dollars.” 

SECTION 2. Section 72J of chapter 111 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting  after the word “homemaker”, in line 45,  the following:-

“Upon making a determination of serious abuse under section 18(a) of chapter 19A, the department shall suspend the right of such individual to work as a nurse aide, home health aide or homemaker.  If the individual is charged with a crime arising out of a report of abuse under section 15 of chapter 19A and pleads guilty, pleads no lo contendere, or is found guilty of that charge or if the case arising out of the report of abuse is continued without a finding, the department shall permanently suspend the right of such individual to work as a nurse aide, home health aide or homemaker."