Peggy’s Law
August 2017
On Monday, August 7, 2017, Governor Christie signed anew law entitled “Peggy’s Law” which requires employees in NJ nursing homes,assisted living facilities and other state-regulated facilities that house senior citizens to report suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or other criminal harm to the police in addition to the state’s Office of the Ombudsman for the Institutionalized Elderly.
Under Peggy’s Law, the police must be notified within 24 hours of an incident involving suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation or other criminal harm. Where there is actual injury, the police must be notified within 2 hours.
Under the new law, the employee and facility will beheld liable for failure to notify the police within these time frames.
In addition to mandated reporting, Peggy’s Law requires the Office of the Ombudsman for the Institutionalized Elderly to staff a 24 hour hotline for complaints. Currently, this hotline is staffed during business hours only.
Peggy’s Law is effective on October 6, 2017 or 60 days from the date of signing into law which was August 7, 2017.
