What's happening
This bill requires New York's statewide automated child welfare information system to be able to store images and documents.
Why it matters
Improved Case Management. Allowing the system to store images and documents means caseworkers can keep more complete and organized records, which could lead to better tracking of children’s needs and services over time.
Enhanced Evidence Handling. Critical materials like photographs of injuries or living conditions, court orders, and medical reports can be directly linked to individual cases, potentially improving the quality and reliability of investigations and court proceedings.
Greater Efficiency and Accessibility. Digital storage of documents and images could reduce paperwork, speed up information sharing between agencies, and ensure important records are less likely to be lost or misplaced.
Potential Privacy and Security Implications. Storing sensitive images and documents electronically raises the stakes for data security and privacy protections, making it crucial that safeguards are in place to protect children’s personal information.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Store Child Welfare Documents
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
600
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by Sen. GALLIVAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Children and Families
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to storing images and documents in the statewide automated child welfare information system
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 422 of the social services law is amended by adding a new subdivision 13-a to read as follows:
13-a. The statewide automated child welfare information system shall be capable of storing images and documents.
§ 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2021.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02718-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to storing images and documents in the statewide automated child welfare information system
Purpose
This legislation would require the statewide automated child welfare information system be capable of storing images and documents.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 requires the statewide automated child welfare information system to be capable of storing images and documents.
Section 2 establishes the effective date.
Justification
New York State implemented the statewide automated child welfare infor- mation system as the result of a 1993 federal law. When the original contracts for the system were announced in 1996, Windows 95 had just been released, which included the first version of Internet Explorer. Even during that period of low expectations for information technology, the statewide automated child welfare information system, CONNECTIONS, was a disappointment to end-users. The system was too difficult to use and navigate. As a result, many social services districts have developed parallel systems to meet their basic needs, such as storing images and documents. This bill would require the statewide automated child welfare information system to be capable of storing images and documents by January 1, 2021.
Legislative history
2017-18: S.2129/A.2313 Referred to Children and Families/Referred to Children and Families
2015-16: S.400-A/A.2632-A Committed to Finance/ Referred to Children and Families
2013-14: S.7041/A.9917 Referred to Children and Families/Referred to Children and Families
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act will take effect on January 1, 2021.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.