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History
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to mental health and developmental disabilities
- Referred to mental health and developmental disabilities
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Requires video cameras to be placed on the entrance/exits of all facilities run by the office for people with developmental disabilities
In Assembly Committee · Mental Health · Sponsor Aileen Gunther
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's 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.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.