Requires the furnishing of a copy of a child's birth certificate at the time of enrollment of such child into a child day care center

Title of bill

An act to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring the furnishing of a copy of a birth certificate at the time of enrollment of a child into a child day care center

Purpose

Requires the furnishing a copy of a birth certificate at the time of enrollment of a child into a child day care center

Summary of provisions

Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as "Trenton's Law". Section 2. The social services law will be amended by adding new section 390-g to be read as follows: Copy of birth certificate furnished at time of enrollment into a child day care center; required. 1. A child day care center, group family day care home, family day care home or school aged child day care facility, as such terms are defined in section three hundred ninety of this article, shall review a copy of a birth certificate, to be furnished by a parent or legal guardian, within fifteen days of enrollment of such child in such facility, Such review shall be documented and such documentation shall be retained in the child's file.

S.(a) If a copy of a birth certificate is not furnished to the director or operator of the facility within fifteen days, such director or operator shall make an inquiry to the statewide central register for missing children pursuant to section eight hundred thirty-seven-e of the executive law. If such child appears to match a child registered with the statewide central register for missing children, of one registered with the national crime information center register, the director or operator shall immediately contact the local law enforcement authority, (b) No civil or criminal liability shall arise or attach to any child day care, group or family day care home, family day care home or school aged child day care facility or employee thereof for any act or omission to act as a result of, or in connection with, the duties or activities authorized or directed by this section.

Justification

Over two-thousand children are reported missing each day in the United States. Over two-hundred thousand are victims of family abductions and over fifty-thousand are victims of non-familial and stereotypical kidnapping. Trenton Duckett was abducted from his home in Leesburg, Florida in 2006 just seventeen days after his second birthday, Trenton has been missing since and his search, like so many other missing children, continues on with hopes that he will be found.

Many school Districts require that parents or guardians provide a birth certificate upon registration into elementary school to prove that the child is of school age and proof of legal guardianship, This bill would make it a necessity for child care centers to require a copy of a birth certificate for similar reasons. If one cannot be furnished within fifteen days of enrollment the centers will be obligated to investigate and report children entering pre-kindergarten through universal pre-k programs. Enrollment into daycare is an appropriate time to verify guardianship. Failure to furnish a birth certificate at this time will allow law enforcement and missing child agencies to work closely with child care centers to track and protect missing or abducted children.

Bill history

S.6896 of 2008; Referred to Rules

Fiscal implications

To Be determined.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.