Harrisburg, Pa. — A law that would establish an older adult abuse registry and stiffen penalties for crimes against care-dependent people is one step closer to reality.
Sen. Lynda Schlegel Culver, R-27, is sponsoring the legislation that would establish a statewide Older Adult Abuse Registry and strengthen penalties for crimes against care-dependent people. It has passed the state Senate and now advances to the House of Representatives, according to Culver’s office.
Senate Bill 807, known as Alice’s Law, would establish the registry as an additional safeguard to help prevent people who abuse older adults from moving between caregiving positions, according to the release. Senate Bill 1415, which builds on the same initiative, would increase penalties for certain abuse, neglect and institutional sexual assault offenses against care-dependent people.
“Senate passage of these bills is an important step toward strengthening protections for people who depend on others for care,” Culver said. “Families deserve confidence that their loved ones will be treated with dignity and that those who harm them will be held properly accountable. I appreciate my colleagues’ support and Lynn Fiedler’s continued advocacy in her mother’s memory.”
Alice’s Law is named in memory of Alice Longenberger, who endured abuse while receiving care at a facility, according to Culver’s office. Her daughter, Lynn Fiedler, founded Journey to Justice to raise awareness of elder abuse and advocate for stronger protections for older and care-dependent Pennsylvanians.
Senate Bill 807 would place responsibility for establishing and maintaining the registry with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, in consultation with the departments of Aging and Health. It would set criteria for placement on the registry, reporting requirements related to criminal convictions, and notice and an opportunity for administrative review before a person is placed on the registry.
Senate Bill 1415 would complement those safeguards by strengthening criminal penalties, including making certain abuse and neglect offenses third-degree felonies and increasing the penalty for institutional sexual assault by a caretaker to a second-degree felony, according to the release.
Both bills now advance to the House for consideration.
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