S4817-2011 Actions

• May 30, 2012: REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
• Apr 27, 2011: REFERRED TO MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

S4817-2011 Meetings

S4817-2011 Votes

S4817-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S4817            REVISED 04/23/12

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to requiring video cameras
in facilities operated by the office for people with developmental
disabilities

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To allow the Office for people with Developmental Disabilities to
place video cameras on the entrance and exit of all facilities.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 - Amends the mental hygiene law to provide that, the Office
for People with Developmental Disabilities, including group homes,
residential homes, inpatient facilities, and all other facilities to
install video cameras at all entrances and exits; to ensure safety
the commissioner, in consultation with the State police, shall
develop a system for maintaining such recorded images.

Section 2 - This act shall take effect immediately.

JUSTIFICATION:
This act shall informally be known as "Paula's Law" for Paula Liblick
a 61 year old OPWDD resident in a group home in the Hudson Valley. Ms.
Liblick was assaulted and raped by a intruder to the home but since no
mechanism existed to catalogue visitors to the home, no suspects were
identified except for the 2 long-term staff at the home. Also,
recently the New York Times ran a series of stories entitled "At
State Run Homes, Abuse and Impunity" which highlighted many of the
problems in the state run homes, facilities and programs.

We have cameras recording information on visitors to many public
buildings and institutions in an effort to protest the denizens and
property at these sites. So, certainly, the residents and
participants of the state run OPWDD programs, who are society,s most
vulnerable, deserve to be protected in the same manner.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
None.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

S4817-2011 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 
                                         4817
 2011-2012 Regular Sessions
 I N  SENATE
 April 27, 2011
 
 Introduced  by Sen. CARLUCCI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health and Develop
 mental Disabilities
 

AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to  requiring  video
 cameras  in facilities operated by the office for people with develop
 mental disabilities
 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

Section  1. 

Section  13.25  of  the  mental hygiene law is amended by
 adding a new subdivision (c) to read as follows:

 (C) FACILITIES OPERATED BY THE OFFICE, INCLUDING GROUP HOMES, RESIDEN
 TIAL HOMES, INPATIENT FACILITIES AND ALL  OTHER  FACILITIES  UNDER  THIS
 TITLE  SHALL  INSTALL  VIDEO  CAMERAS  AT  ALL  ENTRANCES AND EXITS. THE
 COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE STATE  POLICE,  SHALL  DEVELOP  A
 SYSTEM FOR MAINTAINING SUCH RECORDED IMAGES.
 

S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD10827-01-1

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