What's happening
This bill makes senior center visitors' contact information confidential and imposes penalties for unauthorized disclosure.
Why it matters
Enhances privacy protections for seniors. by ensuring that their personal contact information collected at senior centers cannot be accessed through public records requests, reducing the risk of unwanted solicitations or scams targeting this vulnerable group.
Creates clear legal obligations for staff and public entities. working with senior centers, making them responsible for safeguarding visitors’ information and imposing financial penalties for unauthorized disclosure, which may encourage better data handling practices.
Includes specific exceptions for legal proceedings. , allowing contact information to be disclosed if directly relevant to a civil court or administrative case about senior center attendance, which balances privacy with the needs of the justice system.
May increase trust and participation in senior center programs. by assuring older adults that their personal information will not be misused or publicly exposed, supporting their engagement in community services.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Protect Seniors’ Contact Info
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to aging
- Referred to aging
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4225
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 5, 2019
Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging
AN ACT to amend the elder law, in relation to the privacy of contact information of senior center members
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The elder law is amended by adding a new section 225 to read as follows:
§ 225. Privacy of senior center visitor records. 1. Definitions. As used in this section:
(a) "Senior center" shall mean facilities operated by an area office of the aging or operated by an entity that has contracted with the office or municipality to provide services to senior citizens on a regular basis including, but not limited to meals, recreation and counseling.
(b) "Contact information" shall mean name, address and phone number of senior citizens.
2. Confidentiality of records. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, contact information of seniors who visit a senior center shall not be open to the public, nor subject to disclosure under the freedom of information law pursuant to article six of the public officers law, and no public entity or employee, officer or agent thereof shall disclose such information.
3. Exception. Nothing in this section shall preclude the disclosure of contact information that may be obtained and, if otherwise admissible, be used in a civil court or other civil administrative or adjudicatory body in any action or proceeding pending therein when such action or proceeding relates directly to the attendance of a senior center.
4. Violations. Any person who knowingly releases or permits the disclosure of the contact information that is confidential under this section to a person or entity not entitled to receive such information shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to five thousand dollars.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10339-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the elder law, in relation to the privacy of contact information of senior center members
Purpose or general idea of bill
Prohibits the disclosure of contact information of seniors who visit senior centers.
Summary of specific provisions
Privacy of senior visitor records definition: Senior Center: shall mean facilities operated by an areas office of the aging or operated by an entity that has contracted with office or municipality to provide services to senior citizens on a regular basis including, but not limit- ed to meals, recreation and counseling.
Contact information: shall mean name, address and phone of senior citi- zens.
Justification
This bill will expand the type of information that is exempt from disclosure under to include the name, address, telephone number, or email address of anyone who is a member of or enrolled in a program at a senior center that a public agency administers or sponsors.
Prior legislative history
2017-18: S2262 - Referred to Aging 2015-16: S.2374/A4174 - Referred to Aging 2013-14: S.5389/A.2578 - Referred to Aging 2012: A5379 - Referred to Aging
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.