What's happening
This bill creates a statewide, toll-free hotline for reporting abuse and includes it in elder abuse public education efforts.
Why it matters
Establishes a direct, centralized way for anyone (including anonymous callers) to report suspected abuse 24/7, making it easier for cases to be identified and acted upon quickly.
Mandates immediate notification to appropriate authorities—including law enforcement and emergency responders—when a report suggests criminal activity or immediate danger, potentially speeding up interventions that protect vulnerable individuals.
Requires that public education campaigns about elder abuse now specifically include information about the new statewide hotline, increasing public awareness of how and where to report abuse.
Empowers the commissioner to set rules for how reports are handled and referred between agencies, which could improve coordination and reduce cases falling through bureaucratic cracks.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create State Abuse Hotline
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
11 Co-sponsors
2 Multi-sponsors
History
- Substituted by S2154A
- Rules report cal.356
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Reported referred to codes
- Referred to children and families
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.
Create State Abuse Hotline
Vetoed · Sponsor Susan Serino
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8160
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
June 1, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. LUPARDO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Children and Families
AN ACT to amend the social services law and the elder law, in relation to providing protective services to certain individuals
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 473 of the social services law is amended by adding a new subdivision 9 to read as follows:
9. (a) Within amounts appropriated therefor, the office of children and family services shall establish a statewide, toll-free telephone number (a "hotline") to receive reports consistent with subdivision one of this section. The hotline shall receive reports of allegations of reportable incidents twenty-four hours per day, seven days a week. The hotline shall accept anonymous calls.
(b) When any allegation that could reasonably constitute a reportable incident is received by the hotline, the hotline shall accept and immediately transmit notice of the report orally and electronically to any appropriate state agencies or local social services office. Whenever a telephone call or electronic transmission to the hotline alleges an act or circumstances that may constitute a criminal offense or an immediate threat to an individual's health, safety or welfare, the hotline shall convey, by the most expedient means available, the information contained in such call or transmission to the appropriate law enforcement agency or district attorney and, to the extent necessary, the appropriate emergency responder, and the relevant state agency or local social services office.
(c) The commissioner is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to facilitate the implementation and operation of the hotline, including but not limited to, procedures for timely and accurate referrals to other state agencies or entities that may have investigative or oversight authority regarding reported incidents.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04886-06-7
A. 8160 2
§ 2. Subdivision 16 of section 202 of the elder law, as added by chapter 455 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read as follows:
16. to the extent appropriations are available, and in consultation with the office of children and family services, conduct a public education campaign that emphasizes zero-tolerance for elder abuse. Such campaign shall include information about the signs and symptoms of elder abuse, identification of potential causes of elder abuse, resources available to assist in the prevention of elder abuse, where suspected elder abuse can be reported, including, but not limited to, information regarding the statewide hotline as provided for in paragraph (a) of subdivision nine of section four hundred seventy-three of the social services law, contact information for programs offering services to victims of elder abuse such as counseling, and assistance with arranging personal care and shelter. Such campaign may include, but not be limited to: printed educational and informational materials; audio, video, electronic, other media; and public service announcements or advertisements.
§ 3. This act shall take effect October 1, 2018.
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.