The Iowa legislature has unanimously passed a bill that expands the definition of dependent adult abuse. Senator Mark Costello, a Republican from Imogene, says it’s partly in response to the verbal abuse of mentally disabled residents at the state-run facility in Glenwood.
Costello says the facility is being fined by federal officials for the workers’ VERBAL abuse, but current state law does not allow those workers to be charged with the crime of dependent adult abuse. The other aim of the bill is to protect residents of nursing homes and other facilities from abuse that occurs on “social media.”
The bill passed the Iowa Senate today unanimously. It cleared the Iowa House a week ago on a 93 to zero vote. Governor Terry Branstad is expected to sign the bill into law and it will take effect on the day Branstad approves it.
