Lawmakers Consider Adult Abuse Registry

The Kentucky House of Representatives has endorsed the creation of an adult abuse registry.
The bill that would create that registry has been a priority of lawmakers for years, but funding hasn’t been there. But this year, Governor Steve Beshear allocated funds for the registry in the budget. Representative Ruth Ann Palumbo is the bill’s sponsor, and has supported the idea for the past several years. The measure would list anyone convicted of elder abuse on the new registry, which Palumbo says is key.

“This is simply an employment screening tool. Potential employers which are adult institutional and long term community based service providers would be required to check the registry before hiring an applicant,” she says.

Palumbo says that no one will be added to the registry before all appeals on a conviction have been used. The bill now heads to the state Senate, which will consider both the bill and the appropriation made for it in the budget.