New York Legislators Proposing “Elder Care Facility Sex Offender” Law

After the December arrest of level 3 sex offender Richard Ragone, who has been accused of assaulting a 91-year-old resident of the adult home where he worked, two New York legislators are proposing legislation aimed at preventing similar assaults in the future.

New York State Assemblyman Jim Tedisco has joined with New York State Senator Kathy Marchione to draft the proposed legislation. A press release from Marchione’s Web site states that the legislation will “ensure that adult homes and assisted living residences conduct sex offender background checks on all their employees.” If a background check reveals that a potential employee is a convicted sex offender, the elder care home will be barred from hiring him or her.

The legislators have noted that these searches wouldn’t cost the elder care homes anything, as they can search the names of potential employees on the New York Sex Offender Registry for free. Under current law, applicants at elder care facilities are not required to undergo background checks.

In a statement about the proposed legislation, Jim Tedisco said,  “Our seniors and their families deserve to have the peace of mind that they are safe in all of New York’s elder care facilities and will not be victimized by convicted sexual deviants.”