What's happening
This bill creates a voluntary program for local law enforcement to provide GPS tracking devices to children and adults with cognitive disorders to help locate them if they go missing.
Why it matters
Enhances safety for vulnerable groups. By offering GPS and other electronic tracking devices, the bill aims to reduce the risks faced by children and adults with cognitive disorders who may wander or become lost, improving their chances of being found quickly and safely.
Empowers families and caregivers. The voluntary nature of the program puts the choice in the hands of parents and guardians, giving them an additional tool to protect loved ones without imposing mandatory surveillance.
Establishes privacy safeguards. The bill includes confidentiality provisions—personal information can only be released if the applicant consents and if it’s necessary for law enforcement to locate a missing person—addressing concerns about data misuse or unwarranted tracking.
Requires law enforcement training. Local law enforcement agencies will be trained in the use of tracking devices, which could lead to more effective and coordinated responses when a vulnerable individual goes missing.
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Who cares
Parents and legal guardians
Those caring for children or adults with qualifying diagnoses could apply through local law enforcement for wearable tracking devices under a voluntary program.
Children and adults with qualifying diagnoses
Participants with autism, developmental disabilities, Alzheimer's disease, other dementia or other cognitive disorders would wear devices to help locate them if missing or abducted, with applicant information subject to confidentiality protections.
Local law enforcement agencies
Agencies would process applications, issue devices and attempt to locate missing participants after a caregiver, parent or legal guardian alerts them.
State criminal justice, developmental disability and aging agencies
The Division of Criminal Justice Services would establish the program in consultation with the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities and Office for the Aging, and train local law enforcement on device use.
Headline styles
Track At-Risk Kids, Adults
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 111
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to governmental operations
- Referred to governmental operations
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1129
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 9, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing an electronic monitoring program for certain children and adults
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 837-y to read as follows:
§ 837-y. Electronic monitoring program for certain children and adults. 1. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) "child" shall mean a person under the age of eighteen years;
(b) "eligible applicant" shall mean the parent or legal guardian of a child or adult who has been diagnosed by a physician as having an autism spectrum disorder, developmental disability, Alzheimer's disease or other dementia, or any other cognitive disorder;
(c) "participating child or adult" shall mean the child or adult diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, developmental disability, Alzheimer's disease or other dementia, or other cognitive disorder who is enrolled in the electronic monitoring program and wears an electronic monitoring device; and
(d) "electronic monitoring device" shall mean any radio, global positioning system, cellular device or any other satellite-based monitoring device that can provide continuous tracking of the geographic location of a participating child or adult.
2. (a) The division, in consultation with the office for people with developmental disabilities and the office for the aging, shall establish a program for local law enforcement agencies to provide electronic monitoring devices to an eligible applicant to be worn by such applicant's participating child or adult for the purpose of geographically locating such child or adult upon circumstances where the child or adult is
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01469-01-5
unable to be accounted for. The program shall facilitate the safe recovery of participating children or adults who are missing or abducted.
(b) The division shall train local law enforcement agencies on the use of electronic monitoring devices.
3. The program shall be voluntary and the following procedure shall be used for the administration of the program:
(a) an eligible applicant may file an application with such applicant's local law enforcement agency to be granted access to the program;
(b) upon approval of the application, an eligible applicant shall be issued an electronic monitoring device that may be worn by such applicant's participating child or adult;
(c) if a participating child or adult is missing a caregiver, parent, or legal guardian shall alert the local law enforcement agency and such law enforcement agency shall attempt to locate the participating child or adult using the electronic monitoring device; and
(d) all applicant information provided by the eligible applicant to the local law enforcement agency shall remain confidential and not be divulged by the law enforcement agency except in cases where the eligible applicant signs a separate consent form providing that any personally identifiable information on the participating child or adult may only be released in the event that law enforcement action is sought to locate a missing participating child or adult.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
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.