Requires single-purpose day camps to ascertain whether an employee or volunteer is listed on the state sex offender registry pursuant to article six-C of the correction law; defines "single-purpose day camp".

---

S1986-2013 Actions

• May 3, 2013: PRINT NUMBER 1986A
• May 3, 2013: AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO HEALTH
• Jan 9, 2013: REFERRED TO HEALTH

S1986-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S1986

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the public health law and the social services law, in relation
to requiring single activity clinics to ascertain whether an employee or
volunteer is listed on the state sex offender registry pursuant to
article six-C of the correction law

PURPOSE:
To ensure the safety and welfare of our children by requiring that
single activity clinics check the sex offender registry for all
potential employees and volunteers; and to require all camps check
the state-wide central register for child abuse and maltreatment to
ascertain if an employee or volunteer is subject of an indicated
child abuse and maltreatment report.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Amends section 1392 of the public health law by adding a
new subdivision. The section defines single activity clinic as any
person, firm, limited liability company, association and operation
which operates any single activity clinic or runs any type of
organized activity for a fee for individuals eighteen years or younger.

Section 2. Requires single activity clinics to obtain a permit prior
to operation.

Section 3. Requires single activity clinics to ascertain whether an
employee or volunteer is listed on the state sex offender registry
prior to the date the employee or volunteer begins employment.

Section 4. Requires all camps or clinics that fall under the
provisions of article thirteen-B of the public health law for every
employee or volunteer to check whether the employee or volunteer is
on file with the statewide central register of child abuse and
maltreatment.

Section 5. Effective on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall
become law.

JUSTIFICATION:
Protecting the safety and welfare of our children is of the utmost
importance. Summer camps are a important part of our children's
experience. However, not all camps fall under Department of Health
Regulations. Single activity camps are not required to check their
employee's background. We must ensure that we protect children
whether they attend an outdoor summer camp or a single activity camp.
Requiring these camps to check the sex offender registry will further
protect our children's safety. Also to make sure that all camps
operated in New York are keeping our children. safe this bill would

require that all camps check the statewide central register of, child
abuse and maltreatment to
ascertain whether a prospective employee is the subject of an indicted
report. This will further ensure that are children will be protected
from harm.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2011-12 - S.5239- Referred to Health

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: Needs to be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
Takes effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall become law.

S1986-2013 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                    1986

                         2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                                 (PREFILED)

                               January 9, 2013
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by Sen. CARLUCCI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
    printed to be committed to the Committee on Health

  AN ACT to amend the public health law and the social  services  law,  in
    relation  to requiring single activity clinics to ascertain whether an
    employee or volunteer is listed on the  state  sex  offender  registry
    pursuant to article six-C of the correction law

    THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
  BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


    Section 1. Section 1392 of the public health law is amended by  adding
  a new subdivision 3-a to read as follows:

    3-A.  "SINGLE  ACTIVITY  CLINIC"  SHALL MEAN ANY PERSON, FIRM, LIMITED
  LIABILITY COMPANY, ASSOCIATION AND OPERATION WHICH OPERATES  ANY  SINGLE
  ACTIVITY CLINIC OR RUNS ANY TYPE OF ORGANIZED ACTIVITY FOR A FEE INVOLV-
  ING  PARTICIPANTS  UNDER  THE  AGE  OF  EIGHTEEN FROM JUNE FIRST THROUGH
  SEPTEMBER FIFTEENTH.
    S 2. Section 1393 of the public health law, as added by chapter 515 of
  the laws of 2000, subdivision 4 as amended by chapter 439 of the laws of
  2009, is amended to read as follows:

    S 1393. Permit requirements. 1. No person, firm, corporation, or asso-
  ciation shall operate a children's overnight,  SINGLE  ACTIVITY  CLINIC,
  summer  day,  or  traveling  summer  day  camp without first obtaining a
  permit from an officer.
    2. An officer shall issue a permit if,  after  inspection,  the  chil-
  dren's  overnight,  SINGLE  ACTIVITY  CLINIC,  summer  day, or traveling
  summer day camp is in compliance with  this  chapter  and  the  sanitary
  code.  All  permits  shall  expire one year from the date of issuance of
  such permit or upon such earlier date as specified by such officer which
  date shall in no event be earlier than the latest date that  such  camps
  OR  CLINICS  may  remain  open pursuant to regulations prescribed by the
  commissioner. Nothing in this section shall be construed  to  limit  the

   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD05314-01-3

 S. 1986                             2

  responsibilities  and  duties  of  compliance  arising  out of any other
  provision of law.
    3. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an officer in issuing a
  permit  may waive any requirement of the sanitary code setting a minimum
  standard of floor space per camper in a camp's sleeping quarters. Such a
  waiver may be granted upon written application therefor,  and  shall  be
  accompanied  by  a  statement  by  the officer of the specific terms and
  conditions under which the waiver shall have been granted. Such  waivers
  may  be  granted only to camps constructed prior to January first, nine-
  teen hundred seventy-five. An officer shall grant such waiver where  the
  application  therefor  is  accompanied by a written certification by the
  local health officer of its need or desirability to avoid  an  immediate
  undue  hardship upon the operator which may result in the closing of the
  children's overnight camp to prospective campers, and a statement by the
  local health officer that the granting of a waiver shall not  present  a
  hazard  to  public  health  and safety. All such waivers shall expire on
  December thirty-first of the year in which they are granted, but may  be
  renewed for good and sufficient reason.
    4.  The  fee for a permit shall be two hundred dollars, except that no
  fee shall be charged in the  case  of  a  children's  overnight,  SINGLE
  ACTIVITY  CLINIC,  summer day or traveling summer day camp operated by a
  person, firm, corporation or association for  charitable,  philanthropic
  or religious purposes.
    5.  Any  enrollment application forms and/or enrollment contract forms
  mailed or delivered to a person for purposes of enrollment  of  a  child
  for  any  children's  overnight,  SINGLE ACTIVITY CLINIC, summer day, or
  traveling summer day camp shall contain or be accompanied by  a  written
  statement which declares:

    (a)  that  such  camp  OR CLINIC is required to be licensed by the New
  York state department of health;
    (b) that such camp OR CLINIC is required to be inspected twice yearly;
  and
    (c) the address where inspection reports concerning such camp OR CLIN-
  IC are filed.
    S 3. The public health law is amended by adding a new  section  1394-c
  to read as follows:

    S  1394-C.  REQUIREMENT  TO CHECK SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY. EVERY PERSON,
  FIRM, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, ASSOCIATION AND CORPORATION WHICH OPER-
  ATES A SINGLE ACTIVITY CLINIC SHALL BE REQUIRED, TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER AN
  EMPLOYEE OR VOLUNTEER IS LISTED  ON  THE  STATE  SEX  OFFENDER  REGISTRY
  PURSUANT  TO  ARTICLE  SIX-C OF THE CORRECTION LAW PRIOR TO THE DAY SUCH
  EMPLOYEE OR VOLUNTEER COMMENCES WORK AT SUCH CLINIC AND ANNUALLY  THERE-
  AFTER PRIOR TO THEIR ARRIVAL AT SUCH CLINIC.
    S  4.  Subdivision  1  of  section 424-a of the social services law is
  amended by adding a new paragraph (d-2) to read as follows:

    (D-2) EVERY PERSON, FIRM, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY,  ASSOCIATION  AND
  OPERATION WHICH OPERATES A CAMP THAT FALLS UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF ARTI-
  CLE THIRTEEN-B OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW FOR EVERY EMPLOYEE OR VOLUNTEER,
  PRIOR TO THE EMPLOYMENT START DATE, SHALL INQUIRE OF THE OFFICE OF CHIL-
  DREN  AND  FAMILIES SERVICES, AND THE OFFICE SHALL, UPON RECEIPT OF SUCH
  INQUIRY AND SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF PARAGRAPH (E) OR (B) OF  SUBDI-
  VISION  ONE  OF THIS SECTION, INFORM SUCH AND THE SUBJECT OF THE INQUIRY
  WHETHER ANY PERSON WHO IS ACTIVELY BEING CONSIDERED FOR  EMPLOYMENT  AND
  WHO  WILL  HAVE  THE  POTENTIAL FOR REGULAR AND SUBSTANTIAL CONTACT WITH
  CHILDREN IS THE SUBJECT OF AN INDICATED  CHILD  ABUSE  AND  MALTREATMENT

 S. 1986                             3

  REPORT  ON  FILE  WITH THE STATEWIDE CENTRAL REGISTER OF CHILD ABUSE AND
  MALTREATMENT.
    S 5. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
  it  shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
  ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
  tation of this act on its effective date is authorized and  directed  to
  be made and completed on or before such date.