What's happening
This bill requires surveillance cameras with sound in common areas of facilities serving people with disabilities and youth in care.
Why it matters
Mandates audio-visual surveillance in shared spaces. The bill requires that all group homes, residential and day schools/programs for people with disabilities, and facilities for youth in care, install cameras with sound in all public common areas—potentially increasing oversight, transparency, and accountability in environments serving vulnerable populations.
Extends monitoring to youth residential care facilities. By including facilities under the Office of Children and Family Services, the bill broadens protections to youth in state-supervised settings, which could help address concerns about abuse, neglect, or misconduct.
Allows limited bedroom surveillance for young children. For children aged 13 or younger in single-occupancy bedrooms, surveillance can be installed at the request and with the consent of a parent or guardian, which could improve safety but also raises privacy concerns and questions about consent and dignity.
Imposes significant financial penalties for noncompliance. Providers who fail to meet these requirements face a fine of $1,000 per day, creating a strong financial incentive for rapid compliance but also likely increasing operational costs for affected facilities.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Cameras in Group Homes
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to mental health and developmental disabilities
- Referred to mental health and developmental disabilities
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.
Cameras in Disabled Kids’ Homes
In Assembly Committee · Mental Health · Sponsor Thomas Abinanti
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1823
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 16, 2019
Introduced by Sen. LANZA -- 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 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 16.39 to read as follows: § 16.39 Surveillance cameras.
(a) (i) 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 which provide services for children or adults with mental or physical disabilities.
(ii) 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 which is operated, licensed or certified by the office of children and family services, or which is subject to the supervision of such office shall be equipped with surveillance cameras with sound capability.
(b) In all residential facilities statewide, for children with mental disabilities certified, licensed, funded or operated by the office, 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.
(c) 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.
LBD04321-01-9
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 duties of provid- ers of services for the developmentally disabled
Purpose
To require that surveillance cameras be installed in all public common areas of all group homes, residential and day schools and programs licensed, certified, funded or operated by the office which provide services for children or adults with mental or physical disabilities. Also requires installation of a surveillance camera with sound capabili- ty at the request or and with the consent of the parent or guardian of a child, thirteen or under in a single occupancy bedroom.
Summary of provisions
This bill amends the Mental Hygiene Law by adding a new section 16.39.
Justification
Protection of vulnerable populations must be consistent and enforceable. This legislation would be a critical component of that initiative.
Legislative history
2018: S.5089 - Referred to Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities/A.10845 -Referred to Mental Health
2017: S.5089 - Referred to Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities
2014: S.3801 - Referred to Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities/A.3541 - Referred to Mental Health
2013: S.3801 - Referred to Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities/A.3541 -Referred to Mental Health
2012: S.7198 - Referred to Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities/A.9615 -Referred to Mental Health
Fiscal implications
Significant to the facilities - to be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect one year 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.