FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 5107

                              C 334 L 89

BYSenate Committee on Children & Family Services (originally sponsored by Senators Smith, Stratton and Craswell)

Regarding abuse or exploitation of vulnerable adults/registry.

Senate Committee on Children & Family Services

House Committe on Judiciary

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

In 1987, the Washington State Patrol Criminal Identification System was directed to provide criminal background information on prospective employees and volunteers who have unsupervised access to children and developmentally disabled persons. 

Records of convictions of offenses against persons, court findings of abuse and neglect in civil cases, and disciplinary board final decisions may be disclosed to organizations, businesses, school districts and state agencies who deal with children or developmentally disabled persons. 

SUMMARY:

The Washington State Patrol Criminal Identification System is expanded to include information on persons who were found by a court or a disciplinary board to have abused or financially exploited a vulnerable adult.  A vulnerable adult is defined as a person 60 years of age or older who is functionally, mentally or physically unable to care for himself or herself or a patient in a state hospital for the mentally ill.

The courts must notify the State Patrol of any protection action in which abuse or financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult is found.

The Department of Licensing must notify the State Patrol of any disciplinary board decision that includes specific findings of abuse or financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult.  When a licensed or certified person is terminated from a job, or when a contract is not renewed because of a conviction of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult, the business or organization must notify the appropriate licensing agency.

The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) is directed to adopt licensing requirements which ensure that a background check has been done on all staff or volunteers of an agency licensed or relicensed to care for and treat vulnerable adults.  DSHS must also do a background check on all state employees who deal with mentally ill persons.

Definitions are added.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

     Senate   47    0

     House 97  0 (House amended)

     Senate   39    0 (Senate concurred)

EFFECTIVE:July 23, 1989