S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                 10122--A
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 16, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. THIELE, MURRAY -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Judiciary -- committee discharged, bill amended,  ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to disclosure of the
   records of court proceedings
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivisions (b) and (d) of section  81.14  of  the  mental
 hygiene law, as added by chapter 698 of the laws of 1992, are amended to
 read as follows:
   (b) [The court shall not enter an order sealing the court records in a
 proceeding under this article, either in whole or in part, except upon a
 written  finding of good cause, which shall specify the grounds thereof.
 In determining whether good  cause  has  been  shown,  the  court  shall
 consider  the  interest  of  the  public, the orderly and sound adminis-
 tration of justice, the nature of the proceedings, and  the  privacy  of
 the  person  alleged  to be incapacitated. Where it appears necessary or
 desirable, the court may prescribe appropriate notice and opportunity to
 be heard.] COURT RECORDS IN A PROCEEDING UNDER THIS ARTICLE SHALL NOT BE
 PERUSED, EXAMINED, DISCLOSED, TAKEN OR COPIED BY ANY OTHER PERSON THAN A
 PARTY, THE ATTORNEY OR COUNSEL OF A PARTY, THE GUARDIAN, THE COURT EVAL-
 UATOR OR THE COURT EXAMINER EXCEPT BY ORDER OF THE COURT. Court  records
 shall  include  all  documents  and records of any nature filed with the
 clerk in connection with  the  proceeding.  Documents  obtained  through
 disclosure  and not filed with the clerk shall remain subject to protec-
 tive orders under the civil practice law and rules.
   (d) At the time of the commencement of the hearing,  the  court  shall
 inform the allegedly incapacitated person of his or her right to request
 for  good  cause  [that  the court records be sealed and] that a person,
 persons, or the general public be excluded from the hearing.
   § 2. Applicability.  The obligation of a county clerk to limit  access
 to  the  records of proceedings occurring prior to the effective date of
 this act shall only be limited to the extent that  a  county  clerk  can
 readily identify the records of proceedings to which this act applies. A
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14955-02-8

 A. 10122--A                         2
 
 court  may  also seal or limit access to the records of proceedings held
 prior to the effective date of this act, provided,  however,  that  such
 action  shall  not  abridge  the  court's  authority to further restrict
 access  for  good  cause  shown pursuant to any other law, regulation or
 rule.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to any and
 all past, present and future proceedings held pursuant to article 81  of
 the mental hygiene law on and after the effective date of this act.