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Bill to drop 'intentional' standard for nursing‑home neglect raises liability and staffing questions
Summary
Representative Potter's House Bill 7,488 would remove 'intentional' and 'willful' qualifiers from abuse and neglect statutes in long‑term care, aligning definitions with federal law, supporters said; witnesses highlighted chronic understaffing and corporate ownership as drivers of neglect while lawyers flagged civil‑ and criminal‑liability interactions.
Rep. Potter told the House Judiciary Committee the aim of House Bill 7,488 is to make claims of abuse and neglect in nursing homes actionable without requiring proof of intent, bringing Rhode Island into alignment with federal definitions and neighboring states.
"This bill really aims to further promote that care by building more accountability among the people who care for them," Potter said, arguing that neglect — a failure to provide…
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