What's happening
This bill requires the state to create specific residential placements for most registered sex offenders with developmental disabilities, ensuring proper staffing, training, and coordination with law enforcement.
Why it matters
Creates specialized residential settings for developmentally disabled individuals who are registered sex offenders (except for lower-risk, non-predatory offenders), aiming to balance public safety with individualized care.
Requires the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities to determine the number and geographic spread of these facilities, which could impact community planning and resource allocation statewide.
Mandates staff training and specific staffing ratios for these placements, potentially improving care quality and safety for both residents and staff, and reducing risks of re-offense or harm.
Obligates the state to coordinate with local law enforcement during transitional care, which may improve monitoring and integration but could also raise privacy or civil rights concerns for affected individuals.
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Who cares
Office for People With Developmental Disabilities
OPWDD would have to designate geographically dispersed residential placements for covered registered sex offenders and develop staffing ratios and training for those placements.
Registered sex offenders with developmental disabilities
Those covered by the bill would be restricted to designated placements, except those already successfully placed by OPWDD; level one offenders without specified additional designations would be excluded.
Residential care staff
Staff at designated placements would be subject to a staffing model that includes adequate staff-to-resident ratios and appropriate training to protect residents’ safety and well-being.
Local law enforcement agencies
OPWDD would have to conduct outreach to them as part of transitional care for covered registered sex offenders with developmental disabilities.
Headline styles
Separate Housing for Sex Offenders
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
29 Co-sponsors
- Kenneth Zebrowski
- Marianne Buttenschon
- Billy Jones
- John T. McDonald III
- Anthony D'Urso
- Nader Sayegh
- Jaime R. Williams
- Carmen E. Arroyo
- Clifford Crouch
- David DiPietro
- Brian D. Miller
- Joe DeStefano
- Robert Smullen
- Joseph Giglio
- Dan Stec
- Judy Griffin
- Albert A. Stirpe
- Brian Manktelow
- Karl Brabenec
- Donna Lupardo
- Rebecca Seawright
- Fred Thiele
- Michael Montesano
- Walter T. Mosley
- Steven Englebright
- Doug Smith
- Andrew Raia
- Felix Ortiz
- Gary Finch
History
- Referred to mental health
- Print number 1477a
- Amend and recommit to mental health
- Referred to mental health
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.
Separate Housing for Sex Offenders
In Senate Committee · Mental Health And Developmental Disabilities · Sponsor Betty Little
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1477--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 15, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. WOERNER, ZEBROWSKI, BUTTENSCHON, JONES, McDONALD, D'URSO, SAYEGH, WILLIAMS, ARROYO, CROUCH, DiPIETRO, B. MILLER, DeSTE- FANO, SMULLEN, GIGLIO, STEC -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. GRIFFIN, HAWLEY, KOLB, RA, WALSH -- read once and referred to the Committee on Mental Health -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to placement of registered sex offenders by 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 13.38-a to read as follows: § 13.38-a Placement of registered sex offenders.
1. For purposes of this section, the term "registered sex offender" shall mean all registered sex offenders pursuant to article six-C of the correction law, except for a level one sex offender who has not been designated as a sexual predator, a sexually violent offender, or a predicate sex offender.
2. The office shall designate specific residential placements for individuals with developmental disabilities who are registered sex offenders. The office shall determine how many residential placements for individuals who are registered sex offenders are necessary to provide adequate services to such individuals and shall ensure that the location of such residential placements are geographically disbursed throughout the state.
3. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, the office shall not permit or cause the placement of any registered sex offender in any residential placement other than specifically designated residential placements for registered sex offenders as provided in subdivision one of this section. Provided, however, this subdivision shall not apply to
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01265-03-9
A. 1477--A 2
registered sex offenders who have already been successfully placed by the office in a residential placement for individuals with developmental disabilities.
4. The office shall develop a staffing model for such residential placements for registered sex offenders which shall include, but shall not be limited to, an adequate staff to resident ratio and appropriate training, to ensure the safety and well-being of the residents.
5. Transitional care provided to such registered sex offenders with developmental disabilities shall include outreach by the office to local law enforcement.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
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.