What's happening
This bill requires sound-capable surveillance cameras in common areas of children’s residential facilities and OCFS-linked programs.
Why it matters
Statewide mandate. Covers common areas in children’s residential care facilities and group homes, schools and programs licensed, certified, funded or operated by OCFS or its authorized agencies.
Bedroom option. In OCFS-linked residential facilities, cameras could be placed in single-occupancy bedrooms of children 13 or younger at a parent’s or guardian’s request and with their consent.
Financial enforcement. Providers would face fines of $1,000 per day for noncompliance. The requirements would take effect one year after becoming law.
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Who cares
Children in covered facilities and programs
Cameras with sound capability would be required in shared spaces, including classrooms and time-out rooms.
Parents and guardians
They could request and consent to bedroom cameras for children 13 or younger who occupy single bedrooms in covered residential facilities.
Residential care and school operators
They would need to install required cameras or face daily fines.
Office of Children and Family Services
The mandate would cover facilities and programs it licenses, certifies, funds or operates.
Headline styles
Require Cameras in Children’s Facilities
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to children and families
- Referred to children and families
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3412
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 29, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ABINANTI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Children and Families
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring the office of children and family services and authorized agencies of the office of children and family services to provide surveillance cameras
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section 380-a to read as follows:
§ 380-a. Surveillance cameras. 1. (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 and day schools and programs licensed, certified, funded or operated by the office of children and family services and any authorized agency of the office of children and family services.
(b) All public common areas including, but not limited to, all common living areas, dining areas, hallways, classrooms and time-out rooms of a facility providing residential care to youth or children shall be equipped with surveillance cameras with sound capability.
2. In all residential facilities statewide, for children certified, licensed, funded or operated by the office of children and family services, surveillance cameras may be placed in a child's, age thirteen or younger, room at the request of and with the consent of the child's parent or guardian and only if the child is in a single occupancy bedroom.
3. Any provider that fails to implement the provisions of this section shall be subjected to a fine of 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.
LBD05196-01-9
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.