By Michael Mroziak
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-982956.mp3
Buffalo, NY – A group of New York State lawmakers from Western New York are joining together to call for passage of the third and final element of what's known as "Laura Cummings' Law," which is intended to raise protection for developmentally challenged and other vulnerable people who may be subject to abuse in their own homes.
Cummings, a North Collins woman, was abused by her family for many years and then murdered early last year. Her mother and half-brother are now serving lengthy prison sentences for their roles in her abuse and death.
In Buffalo, lawmakers say legislation has already been signed that lets child and adult protective agencies share information and obtain court orders to enter homes where abuse is reported. State Senator George Maziarz says the third and final piece of Laura Cummings Law still needs passage by the Assembly: criminal sanctions for those who interfere with abuse investigations.
"If a homeowner still seeks to obstruct justice, and block an investigation, he or she can be charged with a class-A misdemeanor for denying or attempting to deny access to a potential victim of abuse," said Maziarz.
Why have Assembly members not yet passed the third part of Laura Cummings' Law? Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples Stokes, who favors the law, forwarded the concerns she's hearing from Assembly peers.
"There are some people in the Assembly who are a little bit concerned that it may be going a bit too far, and that there may be some unintended consequences," said Stokes. "Some people may fall into this criminal piece of the law that we're creating here who don't necessarily fit all the requirements."
State Senator Patrick Gallivan, who represents the district where the Cummings case took place, said while passage of this law will not bring back Laura Cummings it can prevent future tragedies like hers. He also suggests Cummings' case was preventable if the tools were already in place to let authorities intervene.
"The third part, though, it seems to me is the simplest part and it's incredible that, for whatever reason, there's people in the Assembly - not members of the Western New York delegation - that are blocking this," said Gallivan. "It's unconscionable to me that somebody can obstruct justice and not be held accountable."
Lawmakers are hopeful they can bring the final element of Laura Cummings' Law up for a vote when the Legislature returns to Albany next month.