Authorizes the release of child abuse reports to social services officials where such records and reports are necessary in order to conduct an adult protective service investigation.

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S3224-2011 Actions

• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
• Jan 4, 2012: returned to senate
• Jan 4, 2012: died in assembly
• Jun 16, 2011: referred to children and families
• Jun 16, 2011: DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
• Jun 16, 2011: PASSED SENATE
• Jun 6, 2011: ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
• Jun 2, 2011: 2ND REPORT CAL.
• Jun 1, 2011: 1ST REPORT CAL.922
• Feb 14, 2011: REFERRED TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

S3224-2011 Meetings

Children and Families: Jun 1, 2011

S3224-2011 Calendars

Floor Calendar: Jun 2, 2011 , Floor Calendar: Jun 6, 2011 , Floor Calendar: Jun 7, 2011 , Floor Calendar: Jun 13, 2011 , Floor Calendar: Jun 14, 2011 , Floor Calendar: Jun 15, 2011 , Floor Calendar: Jun 16, 2011

S3224-2011 Votes

S3224-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S3224

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the social services law, in relation to authorizing the release
of child abuse reports to social services officials

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
SECTION 1 amends paragraph (A) of subdivision 4
of section 422 of the social services law to add a new subparagraph
(aa) to add adult protective service officials to the list of persons
to whom reports made pursuant to Social Services Law Title 6
regarding child abuse and maltreatment, together with any other
records, may be made available when such information is necessary to
conduct an adult protective service investigation.

SECTION 2 provides that this act shall take effect immediately.

PURPOSE AND JUSTIFICATION:
In January, 2010, Laura Cummings, a
twenty-three year old developmentally disabled young woman, was
smothered to death by her mother. Evidence suggests that her death
was preceded by years of torture and abuse. The local Adult Protective
Services Department attempted to investigate complaints regarding her
maltreatment, but was unable to access sealed records regarding child
abuse and neglect that had been opened while Laura was a child that
might have been of assistance in their investigation. If those
records had been made available, this tragic death might have been
avoided. Social Service Department officials indicate that there are
many situations where an adult protective service investigation,
intended to protect innocent adult victims of abuse, and
particularly involving handicapped and developmentally disabled
young people, can benefit from knowledge of the history of the family
or the victim that is contained in the child abuse and maltreatment
files.

EXISTING LAW:
Social Services Law 422(4) lists persons to whom records
regarding child abuse and maltreatment may be made available.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

S3224-2011 Text

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

                                    3224

                         2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                              February 14, 2011
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sens.  RANZENHOFER, MAZIARZ, DeFRANCISCO, GOLDEN -- read
    twice and ordered printed, and when printed to  be  committed  to  the
    Committee on Children and Families

  AN  ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to authorizing the
    release of child abuse reports to social services officials

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


    Section 1. Subparagraphs (y) and (z) of paragraph (A) of subdivision 4
  of  section  422 of the social services law, subparagraph (y) as amended
  and subparagraph (z) as added by section 1 of part A of chapter  327  of
  the  laws  of  2007, are amended and a new subparagraph (aa) is added to
  read as follows:

    (y) members of a citizen  review  panel  as  established  pursuant  to
  section  three hundred seventy-one-b of this article; provided, however,
  members of a citizen review panel shall not disclose to  any  person  or
  government official any identifying information which the panel has been
  provided  and  shall  not make public other information unless otherwise
  authorized by statute; [and]
    (z) an entity with appropriate legal authority  in  another  state  to
  license,  certify  or  otherwise approve prospective foster and adoptive
  parents where disclosure of information regarding the prospective foster
  or adoptive parents and other persons over the age of eighteen  residing
  in  the home of such prospective parents is required by paragraph twenty
  of subdivision (a) of section six hundred seventy-one of title forty-two
  of the United States code[.]; AND
    (AA) A SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL UNDER ARTICLE NINE-B OF  THIS  CHAPTER
  WHEN  SUCH OFFICIAL CERTIFIES THAT THE RECORDS AND REPORTS ARE NECESSARY
  IN ORDER TO CONDUCT AN ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICE INVESTIGATION.
    S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD01595-02-1