What's happening
This bill extends the maximum period a parent can designate a caregiver in parental relation from six to twelve months.
Why it matters
Allows parents and guardians more time to plan for temporary absences. (such as military deployment, incarceration, or extended illness), by doubling the maximum caregiver designation period, reducing the need for repeated paperwork and potential disruptions in care.
Reduces administrative burdens for families and institutions. schools, healthcare providers, and other entities will deal with fewer renewals and interruptions in legal authority, making continuity of care and education smoother for children.
Supports children’s stability and well-being. by enabling them to remain with trusted caregivers for longer stretches without legal uncertainty, minimizing the emotional and logistical upheaval of repeated short-term arrangements.
Reflects evolving family needs and realities. , as more parents may face extended periods away from their children due to work, health, or other obligations, making the law more responsive to modern circumstances.
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Who cares
Parents of minors or incapacitated people
The bill would let them designate another person to act in a parental role for up to twelve months instead of six, subject to existing court-order restrictions.
Designated caregivers
They could hold parental-relation authority for up to twelve months under a qualifying designation, unless the parent revokes it earlier.
Schools
They could receive qualifying caregiver designations lasting up to twelve months for education-related authority.
Health care providers and health plans
They could receive qualifying caregiver designations lasting up to twelve months for health-related authority.
Headline styles
Let Parents Pick Caregivers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
16 Co-sponsors
3 Multi-sponsors
History
- Signed chap.80
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–0
- 3rd reading cal.134
- Substituted for S6016A
- Referred to children and families
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.560
- Returned to assembly
- Died in senate
Show 10 earlier actions
- Referred to rules
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.553
- Rules report cal.553
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Print number 7905a
- Amend (t) and recommit to judiciary
- Referred to judiciary
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.
Let Parents Name Caregivers
Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor Tony Avella
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7905--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 18, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. JAFFEE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Judiciary -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the general obligations law, in relation to a parent or guardian naming a caregiver as a person in parental relation
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 5-1551 of the general obligations law, as added by chapter 119 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
§ 5-1551. Power of parent to designate a person in parental relation. A parent of a minor or incapacitated person may designate another person as a person in parental relation to such minor or incapacitated person pursuant to sections twenty-one hundred sixty-four and twenty-five hundred four of the public health law and sections two and thirty-two hundred twelve of the education law for a period not exceeding [six] twelve months provided that there is no prior order of any court in any jurisdiction currently in effect that would prohibit such parent from himself or herself exercising the same or similar authority, and provided further, that, in the case where a court has ordered that both parents must agree on education or health decisions regarding the child, a designation pursuant to this subdivision shall not be valid unless both parents have consented thereto. Such designation shall be in the form prescribed by section 5-1552 of this title, and may be presented to any school, health care provider or health plan that requires such designation by either the parent or the designee.
§ 2. Subdivision 1 of section 5-1552 of the general obligations law, as added by chapter 119 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
1. Designations in general. A designation of a person in parental relation pursuant to this title shall be in writing and shall include: the name of the parent, the name of the designee, the name of each minor
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11673-02-7
A. 7905--A 2
or incapacitated person with respect to whom such designation is made, the parent's signature, and the date of such signature. The designation may specify a period of time less than [six] twelve months for which such designation shall be valid unless earlier revoked by such parent pursuant to section 5-1554 of this title, provided that any designation specifying a period of more than thirty days shall also conform to the provisions of subdivision two of this section.
§ 3. Subdivision 3 of section 5-1552 of the general obligations law, as added by chapter 119 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
3. Designations not specifying a time period. If no time period is specified in a designation, it shall be valid until the earlier of revocation or the expiration of thirty days from the date of signature if the designation does not meet the requirements of subdivision two of this section, or [six] twelve months from the date of commencement specified therein if the designation meets the requirements of subdivision two of this section.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.