What's happening
This bill requires video and audio surveillance cameras in vehicles transporting people receiving services from the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.
Why it matters
Increases accountability and safety. for individuals with developmental disabilities during transportation by ensuring their journeys are recorded with both video and audio, potentially deterring abuse, neglect, or unsafe practices.
Mandates long-term data retention. by requiring that recordings be stored for at least five years, which could be crucial for investigations into incidents or complaints that arise well after the fact.
Sets clear operational standards. by specifying that the entire vehicle interior must be visible on camera, reducing the risk of blind spots or unmonitored areas where misconduct could occur.
Allows limited exceptions only for emergencies. , highlighting the importance placed on surveillance while also ensuring that urgent transportation needs are not delayed if equipped vehicles are unavailable.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Cameras Required in Transport Vans
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to mental health and developmental disabilities
- Referred to mental health and developmental disabilities
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1183
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 6, 2017
Introduced by Sen. MARCELLINO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to requiring surveillance cameras in transport vehicles for people receiving services from the office for people with developmental disabilities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section 16.26 to read as follows: § 16.26 Vehicle surveillance cameras.
The commissioner shall adopt regulations requiring the use of one or more video surveillance cameras with sound capabilities in all vehicles used for the primary purpose of transporting service recipients to programming, activities or services by facilities, providers and programs operated, licensed, certified, authorized or funded by the office. Facilities, providers or programs may only transport a service recipient in a vehicle without surveillance cameras in emergency circumstances when such a vehicle with surveillance cameras is unavailable and lack of transportation may affect the health or safety of a service recipient. Regulations shall specify the period of time for which such recordings shall be maintained and stored, which shall be no less than five years from the date of creation, and shall outline the manner in which recordings shall be maintained and stored. Regulations shall also require that the field of observation of such surveillance camera or cameras cover the entirety of the interior of the transportation vehicle.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05834-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to requiring surveillance cameras in transport vehicles for people receiving services from the office for people with developmental disabilities
Purpose
This legislation would require installation of surveillance cameras with sound capability in all state and voluntary agency vehicles used by providers who are certified, licensed, funded or operated to transport children or adults with mental or physical disabilities.
Summary of provisions
The Mental Hygiene Law is amended by adding a new section 16.26 to require installation of surveillance cameras with sound capability in all state and voluntary agency vehicles used by providers who are certified, licensed, funded or operated to transport children or adults with mental or physical disabilities.
Justification
Protection of vulnerable populations must be consistent and enforceable. To help insure the health and well-being of individuals with mental or physical disabilities, surveillance cameras should be installed in all state and voluntary agency vehicles that provide transportation of children and adults with mental and physical disabilities.
This legislation would be a critical component of that initiative.
Legislative history
S.419 of 2015/16
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.