SB213

Senate Bill 213 amends the Arkansas statutes governing the confidentiality and disclosure of reports concerning adult maltreatment or maltreatment in long-term care facilities. It clarifies the procedures and scope of access for 'screened-out,' 'pending,' and 'unfounded' reports. Specifically, the bill expands the entities authorized to access screened-out reports to include the Attorney General, prosecuting attorneys, law enforcement agencies, current employers who made the initial report, and relevant professional licensing boards. It also refines the language regarding who may access pending and unfounded reports, ensuring that an employer's access is limited to cases where they initiated the report and that professional boards retain access to records concerning their licensees. The bill maintains the Department of Human Services' authority to use these records for program administration. The overall intent is to streamline and standardize information sharing among oversight and law enforcement bodies.