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A1395Assembly2019-2020 Session

Install Cameras in Group Homes

Official title

“Requires providers of services for the developmentally disabled to perform certain duties”

Sponsor Thomas AbinantiAD-92+18 co-sponsorsAffects Health
Status
In Assembly Committee
Mental Health
Impact
7/10
Significant
Passage
0%

Bill progress

Step 2 of 7

In committee · Mental Health

What's happening

This bill requires surveillance cameras with sound to be installed in all common areas of facilities serving people with disabilities.

Why it matters

  1. Expands oversight and accountability. By requiring audio-visual surveillance in all common areas, the bill could help deter and document abuse, neglect, or misconduct affecting people with disabilities in group homes, schools, and similar facilities.

  2. Raises privacy and consent considerations. The presence of cameras with sound in shared spaces may impact the privacy of residents, staff, and visitors, raising important questions about consent, dignity, and how recordings are stored, accessed, and used.

  3. Imposes significant compliance costs. Facilities will need to install and maintain advanced surveillance systems, which could especially burden smaller organizations or those with limited funding, potentially affecting their operational capacity.

  4. Creates strong enforcement mechanisms. With fines of up to $1,000 per day for noncompliance, the bill provides a strong incentive for facilities to comply, which may accelerate safety improvements but also introduces financial risk for organizations that face delays or challenges in implementation.

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Who cares

Headline styles

Install Cameras in Group Homes

Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Thomas Abinanti

Assembly Member · Assembly District 92

History

  1. Referred to mental health
  2. Referred to mental health

Full text

1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗

STATE OF NEW YORK

1395

2019-2020 Regular Sessions

IN ASSEMBLY

January 15, 2019

Introduced by M. of A. ABINANTI, FAHY, D'URSO, ORTIZ, CRESPO, COOK, WILLIAMS, DINOWITZ, GALEF, MORINELLO, DICKENS, WALKER, BLAKE, BARRON, GOTTFRIED, RIVERA, LAWRENCE, LAVINE, SEAWRIGHT -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. HYNDMAN, SIMON, THIELE, WALSH -- read once and referred to the Committee on Mental Health

AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to duties of providers of services for the developmentally disabled

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 16.24 to read as follows: § 16.24 Surveillance cameras.

(a) Surveillance cameras with sound capability shall be installed in all public common areas including, but not limited to, all common living areas, dining areas, hallways, classrooms and time-out rooms in all group homes, residential facilities, day schools and programs licensed, certified, funded or operated by the office which provide services for children or adults with mental or physical disabilities.

(b) Any provider that fails to implement the provisions of this section may be subject to a fine of up to one thousand dollars per day of noncompliances.

§ 2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law.

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD04877-01-9

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.