S7350-2011 - NY Senate Open Legislation - Expands the persons responsible for reporting cases of suspected child abuse

Expands the persons responsible for reporting cases of suspected child abuse.

Sponsor: SALAND
Law Section: Social Services Law / Law: Amd S413, Soc Serv L

S7350-2011 Actions

Jun 21, 2012: COMMITTED TO RULES
Jun 4, 2012: AMENDED ON THIRD READING 7350A
May 23, 2012: ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
May 22, 2012: 2ND REPORT CAL.
May 21, 2012: 1ST REPORT CAL.852
May 2, 2012: REFERRED TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

S7350-2011 Meetings

Children and Families: May 21, 2012

S7350-2011 Calendars

Floor Calendar: May 22, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 23, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 30, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 31, 2012 , Floor Calendar: Jun 4, 2012

S7350-2011 Votes

VOTE: COMMITTEE VOTE: - Children and Families - May 21, 2012

Ayes (4): Saland, Young, Savino, Duane
Ayes W/R (2): Johnson, Montgomery

S7350-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S7350

TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to expanding the
persons responsible for reporting cases of suspected child abuse

PURPOSE:
To require school athletic directors, school coaches, and school
assistant coaches to report cases of suspected child abuse.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one amends paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 413 of
the social services law to add school athletic directors, school
coaches, and school assistant coaches to the list of mandated
reporters.

Section two provides the effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:
School coaches and athletic directors are often in the position to
observe children for signs of abuse. Coaches develop close, trusting
relationships with their players, making it likely that a child would
confide in their coach.

The current law is ambiguous as to whether individuals in these
positions are mandated reporters. This legislation will clarify their
duty to report suspected abuse, and also protect them from civil
liability resulting from reports that are proven unfounded.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

S7350-2011 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
                                          7350
 I N  SENATE
 May 2, 2012
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  SALAND -- 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  expanding  the
 persons responsible for reporting cases of suspected child abuse
 

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

 

Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 413 of the social
 services law, as amended by chapter 91 of the laws of 2011,  is  amended
 to read as follows:

 (a)  The  following  persons  and  officials are required to report or
 cause a report to be made in accordance with this title when  they  have
 reasonable  cause  to  suspect  that a child coming before them in their
 professional or official capacity is an abused or maltreated  child,  or
 when  they have reasonable cause to suspect that a child is an abused or
 maltreated child where the parent, guardian, custodian or  other  person
 legally  responsible  for  such child comes before them in their profes
 sional or official capacity and states from  personal  knowledge  facts,
 conditions or circumstances which, if correct, would render the child an
 abused  or maltreated child: any physician; registered physician assist
 ant; surgeon; medical  examiner;  coroner;  dentist;  dental  hygienist;
 osteopath;  optometrist;  chiropractor;  podiatrist;  resident;  intern;
 psychologist; registered nurse; social worker; emergency medical techni
 cian; licensed creative arts therapist;  licensed  marriage  and  family
 therapist;  licensed  mental  health  counselor; licensed psychoanalyst;
 hospital personnel engaged in the admission, examination, care or treat
 ment of persons; a  Christian  Science  practitioner;  school  official,
 which  includes  but  is  not limited to school teacher, school guidance
 counselor, school psychologist,  school  social  worker,  school  nurse,
 school administrator or other school personnel required to hold a teach
 ing  or administrative license or certificate; SCHOOL ATHLETIC DIRECTOR,
 SCHOOL COACH, SCHOOL ASSISTANT COACH; social services  worker;  director
 of  a children's overnight camp, summer day camp or traveling summer day
 camp, as such camps are defined in section thirteen  hundred  ninety-two
 of  the public health law; day care center worker; school-age child care
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD13715-03-2
        S. 7350                             2
 worker; provider of family or group family day care; employee or  volun
 teer  in  a  residential  care  facility  defined in subdivision four of
 section four hundred twelve-a of this title or any other child  care  or
 foster  care worker; mental health professional; substance abuse counse
 lor; alcoholism counselor; all persons credentialed  by  the  office  of
 alcoholism  and substance abuse services; peace officer; police officer;
 district attorney or assistant district attorney; investigator  employed
 in the office of a district attorney; or other law enforcement official.
 

S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

S7350-2011: Expands the persons responsible for reporting cases of suspected child abuse