Saturday, February 11, 2012

Care centers need more monitoring in Iowa

Iowa lawmakers are considering legislation to ensure everyone knows when a convicted sex offender is living in a state-regulated facility. If implemented, nursing homes, assisted living centers and residential care centers would be required to notify residents if an offender moved in. They would check the names of newcomers against a state registry. Courts would have new responsibilities about notification. Homes would have to “implement a written safety plan.”
That isn’t enough for some lawmakers. They say a special home for elderly and disabled sex offenders is needed. One representative suggested the state might purchase one and operate it to ensure these aging sex offenders residents are contained.
Such proposals are a response to the story of William Cubbage. The 83-year-old convicted sex offender is suspected of assaulting a nursing home resident. The incident got the attention of Gov. Terry Branstad and lawmakers.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20120201/OPINION03/302010021/0/IOWA_VS_ISU/?odyssey=nav|head

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