Bill Text: IA SSB1099 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: A bill for an act including personal degradation as a form of dependent adult abuse by caretakers in facilities and programs regulated by the department of inspections and appeals.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (N/A - Dead) 2017-02-23 - Subcommittee recommends amendment and passage. [SSB1099 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2017-SSB1099-Introduced.html
Senate Study Bill 1099 - Introduced SENATE/HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTIONS AND APPEALS BILL) A BILL FOR An Act including personal degradation as a form of dependent 1 adult abuse by caretakers in facilities and programs 2 regulated by the department of inspections and appeals. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1218DP (3) 87 hb/nh/rh
S.F. _____ H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 235E.1, subsection 5, paragraph a, Code 1 2017, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph: 2 NEW SUBPARAGRAPH . (3) Personal degradation of a dependent 3 adult. “Personal degradation” means a willful act or statement 4 by a caretaker intended to shame, degrade, humiliate, or 5 otherwise harm the personal dignity of a dependent adult, or 6 where the caretaker knew or reasonably should have known the 7 act or statement would cause shame, degradation, humiliation, 8 or harm to the personal dignity of a reasonable person. 9 “Personal degradation” includes the taking, transmission, 10 or display of an electronic image of a dependent adult by a 11 caretaker, where the caretaker’s actions constitute a willful 12 act or statement intended to shame, degrade, humiliate, or 13 otherwise harm the personal dignity of the dependent adult, or 14 where the caretaker knew or reasonably should have known the 15 act would cause shame, degradation, humiliation, or harm to the 16 personal dignity of a reasonable person. “Personal degradation” 17 does not include the taking, transmission, or display of 18 an electronic image of a dependent adult for the purpose 19 of reporting dependent adult abuse to law enforcement, the 20 department, or other regulatory agency that oversees caretakers 21 or enforces abuse or neglect provisions, or for the purpose of 22 treatment or diagnosis or as part of an ongoing investigation. 23 “Personal degradation” also does not include the taking, 24 transmission, or display of an electronic image by a caretaker 25 in accordance with the facility’s or program’s confidentiality 26 policy and release of information or consent policies. 27 EXPLANATION 28 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 29 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 30 This bill includes personal degradation as a form of 31 dependent adult abuse by caretakers in facilities and 32 programs regulated by the department of inspections and 33 appeals. The bill provides that personal degradation is a 34 willful act or statement by a caretaker in a facility or 35 -1- LSB 1218DP (3) 87 hb/nh/rh 1/ 2
S.F. _____ H.F. _____ program that is intended to shame, degrade, humiliate, or 1 otherwise harm the dependent adult’s personal dignity; or a 2 willful act or statement by a caretaker where the caretaker 3 reasonably should have known the act or statement would 4 shame, degrade, humiliate, or otherwise harm the dependent 5 adult’s personal dignity. Personal degradation includes the 6 taking, transmitting, or displaying of an electronic image 7 of a dependent adult by a caretaker, where the caretaker 8 intended to cause or should have known such act would cause 9 shame, degradation, or humiliation, or otherwise harm the 10 personal dignity of the dependent adult. The bill creates an 11 exception for electronic images that are taken, transmitted, or 12 displayed for the purposes of treatment, diagnosis, or ongoing 13 investigation. The bill provides personal degradation does 14 not occur when a caretaker takes, transmits, or displays an 15 electronic image in accordance with the facility’s or program’s 16 release of information or consent policies. 17 -2- LSB 1218DP (3) 87 hb/nh/rh 2/ 2
feedback