Bill on offenders in care centers advances

Utter nonsense, personal notification, if this is what is required then do away with the registry! And, a plan of how to protect folks from the registrant? Anyone ever heard of 911? If this is implemented businesses will have to drive costs for their services sky high (needing personal guards for everyone). Stupidity at its best... Remember, the government does not tell you how to protect yourself when in the public, excepting to be mindful of the registry. Hint hint..

3-15-2012 Iowa:

The Iowa House moved legislation Wednesday regarding sex offenders in nursing homes, as well as two other high-profile bills.

On a unanimous vote, House members approved new mandates for nursing homes and other care facilities to inform residents, employees, visitors and others when a sex offender is admitted as a resident. Facilities housing a sex offender also must develop a plan outlining how other residents, employees and the public will be protected from the offender.

The bill, House File 2422, now moves to the Senate for further consideration.

The issue arose following reports in The Des Moines Register identifying dozens of sex offenders living in nursing homes and other care facilities — including one case in which a known offender living in a nursing home was accused of assaulting another elderly resident.

Bill sponsor Joel Fry, R-Osceola, said the bill aimed to address short-term issues concerning the presence of offenders in nursing homes but also to study longer-term concerns over aging populations of known sex offenders that may increasingly be referred to care facilities with vulnerable residents.

The bill passed on a 93-0 vote, but not everyone accepted it wholeheartedly. Rep. Mary Wolfe, D-Clinton, said she supported the bill, but wondered aloud whether it may face constitutional concerns.

She implored lawmakers to consider sex offenders’ rights alongside those of others.

“I just hope that as we go forward we keep in mind that we do have to balance the very legitimate need to protect our family members, people who are in these institutions and may not be able to protect themselves, against the constitutional rights of people who for whatever reason are on the sex offender registry,” she said.

Fry replied that he recognized her concern, and felt the bill struck the right balance.

“We want to walk that tightrope to make sure those rights are protected but also to make sure the rights and the safety of those individuals who reside in those facilities is also balanced and protected,” he said. ..Source.. by JASON NOBLE