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Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Signed chap.142
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.94
- Substituted for A731
- Referred to children and families
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 58–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.19
- Referred to rules
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.
Relates to foster home decertification, application for recertification, authorization for non-renewal, and other notices
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Nily Rozic
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S1514
Title of bill
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to foster home decertification, application for recertification, authorization for non-renewal, notice of removal of a child, and other required notices
Purpose
To protect foster children from being placed in a home previously found to be unsuitable for providing care
Summary of specific provisions
This bill amends Chapter 539 of the Laws of 2014.
Section one would amend section 376 of the Social Services Law to codify existing practice by requiring that reviews of previous foster care licenses and certificates are completed by considering information available in the Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System. The section would also clarify that reviews would determine if a child was previously removed from a foster home only for health and safety reasons.
Section two would make corresponding amendments to section 377 of the Social Services Law.
Section three would set the effective date as immediately, provided that sections one and two would take effect on the same date that the Chapter 539 of the Laws of 2014.
Justification
Currently, when a person applies to become a foster parent, the local social services district must review their history to determine whether a previous license or certificate was issued, and if so whether such license or certificate was revoked or suspended, or a child was removed from the home. Chapter 539 of the Laws of 2014 codified this requirement into law but placed additional requirements on local social services districts by not specifying that such reviews would be conducted within the currently utilized Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System. By omitting this, the law inadvertently expanded the districts' responsibilities so that they would be required to track down additional information that may not be available.
This bill would specify that the reviews be conducted within the currently used system thereby preventing undue burdens on local social services districts and unnecessary delays in the approval of much needed foster parents. Additionally, the bill would clarify that the previous removal of children from foster homes must only be considered when granting a new license or certificate if such removal was due to health and safety reasons, as is the intent of Chapter 539 of the Laws of 2014.
Prior legislative history
This is a new bill.
Fiscal impact for state and local governments
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately, provided that sections one and two would take effect on the same date as Chapter 539 of the laws of 2014.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.