S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4893
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 16, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
 
 AN ACT to amend the criminal procedure law, in relation  to  authorizing
   the  use of closed-circuit television for vulnerable domestic violence
   victim witnesses

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Article 65 of the criminal procedure law, as added by chap-
 ter  505 of the laws of 1985, subdivision 1 of section 65.00, and subdi-
 vision 7 and paragraph (k) of subdivision 10 of section 65.20 as amended
 by chapter 320 of the laws of 2006, subdivision 9 of  section  65.20  as
 amended  by  section  4  of  part LLL of chapter 59 of the laws of 2019,
 subdivisions 11 and 12 of section 65.20 as amended by chapter 455 of the
 laws of 1991, subdivision 1 of section 65.10 as amended,  subdivision  2
 of  section  65.20  as added, the opening paragraph of subdivision 10 of
 section 65.20 as amended, and subdivisions 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11,  12
 and  13  of  section  65.20  as renumbered by chapter 548 of the laws of
 2007, is amended to read as follows:
                                 ARTICLE 65
                   USE OF CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION FOR
                         CERTAIN [CHILD] WITNESSES
 
 Section 65.00  Definitions.
         65.10  Closed-circuit television; general rule;  declaration  of
                  vulnerability.
         65.20  Closed-circuit  television; procedure for application and
                  grounds for determination.
         65.30  Closed-circuit television;  special  testimonial  [proce-
                  dure] PROCEDURES.
 § 65.00 Definitions.
   As used in this article:
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01682-01-3
              

 S. 4893                             2
 
   1. "Child witness" means a person fourteen years old or less who is or
 will  be  called to testify in a criminal proceeding, other than a grand
 jury proceeding, concerning an offense defined in  article  one  hundred
 thirty  of the penal law or section 255.25, 255.26 or 255.27 of such law
 which is the subject of such criminal proceeding.
   2.  "DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE  VICTIM  WITNESS" MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS A
 VICTIM OF A FAMILY OFFENSE, AS DEFINED IN  SUBDIVISION  ONE  OF  SECTION
 530.11 OF THIS CHAPTER.
   3.  "Vulnerable  [child]  witness" means a child witness OR A DOMESTIC
 VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS whom a court has declared to be vulnerable.
   [3.] 4. "Testimonial room" means any room, separate and apart from the
 courtroom, which is furnished  comfortably  and  less  formally  than  a
 courtroom and from which the testimony of a vulnerable child witness can
 be transmitted to the courtroom by means of live, two-way closed-circuit
 television.
   [4.] 5. "Live, two-way closed-circuit television" means a simultaneous
 transmission,  by  closed-circuit television, or other electronic means,
 between the courtroom and the testimonial room in  accordance  with  the
 provisions of section 65.30 OF THIS ARTICLE.
   [5.]  6.  "Operator"  means  the individual authorized by the court to
 operate the closed-circuit television equipment used in accordance  with
 the provisions of this article.
   [6.]  7.  A person occupies "a position of authority with respect to a
 child" when he or she is a parent, guardian or other person  responsible
 for  the custody or care of [the] A child at the relevant time or is any
 other person who maintains an ongoing personal  relationship  with  such
 parent,  guardian or other person responsible for custody or care, which
 relationship involves his or her living, or  his  or  her  frequent  and
 repeated presence, in the same household or premises as the child.
 § 65.10 Closed-circuit  television; general rule; declaration of vulner-
           ability.
   1. A child witness OR A DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE  VICTIM  WITNESS  shall  be
 declared vulnerable when the court, in accordance with the provisions of
 section  65.20  OF  THIS  ARTICLE,  determines  by  clear and convincing
 evidence that it is likely that such  child  witness  OR  SUCH  DOMESTIC
 VIOLENCE  VICTIM WITNESS will suffer serious mental or emotional harm if
 required to testify at a criminal proceeding without the  use  of  live,
 two-way closed-circuit television and that the use of such live, two-way
 closed-circuit  television  will  diminish  the likelihood or extent of,
 such harm.
   2. When the court declares a child  witness  OR  A  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE
 VICTIM  WITNESS to be vulnerable, it shall, except as provided in subdi-
 vision four of section 65.30 OF THIS ARTICLE, authorize  the  taking  of
 the  testimony  of  the  vulnerable [child] witness from the testimonial
 room by means of live, two-way  closed-circuit  television.    Under  no
 circumstances  shall  the  provisions  of  this  article be construed to
 authorize a closed-circuit television system  by  which  events  in  the
 courtroom  are not transmitted to the testimonial room during the testi-
 mony of the vulnerable [child] witness.
   3. Nothing [herein] IN THIS ARTICLE shall be [contrued]  CONSTRUED  to
 preclude  the  court from exercising its power to close the courtroom or
 from exercising any authority it otherwise may have to protect the well-
 being of a witness and the rights of the defendant.
 § 65.20 Closed-circuit television; procedure for application and grounds
           for determination.
 S. 4893                             3
 
   1. Prior to the commencement of a criminal proceeding[;], other than a
 grand jury proceeding, either party may apply to the court for an  order
 declaring  that a child witness OR A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS is
 vulnerable.
   2.  A  child  witness  OR A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS should be
 declared vulnerable when the court, in accordance with the provisions of
 this section, determines by clear and convincing evidence that the child
 witness OR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM  WITNESS  would  suffer  serious
 mental  or  emotional  harm  that  would  substantially impair the child
 witness' OR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS' ability to communicate
 with the finder of fact without the use of live, two-way  closed-circuit
 television.
   3.  A  motion pursuant to subdivision one of this section must be made
 in writing at least eight days before the commencement of trial or other
 criminal proceeding upon reasonable notice to the other party  and  with
 an opportunity to be heard.
   4.  The  motion  papers  must  state the basis for the motion and must
 contain sworn allegations of fact which, if true, would support a deter-
 mination by the court that the child witness OR  THE  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE
 VICTIM  WITNESS  is  vulnerable.  Such allegations may be based upon the
 personal knowledge of the  deponent  or  upon  information  and  belief,
 provided  that, in the latter event, the sources of such information and
 the grounds for such belief are stated.
   5. The answering papers may admit or deny any of the alleged facts and
 may, in addition, contain sworn allegations  of  fact  relevant  to  the
 motion,  including  the rights of the defendant, the need to protect the
 child witness OR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS and the  integrity
 of the truth-finding function of the trier of fact.
   6.  Unless  all  material  facts alleged in support of the motion made
 pursuant to subdivision one of this  section  are  conceded,  the  court
 shall,  in  addition  to examining the papers and hearing oral argument,
 conduct an appropriate hearing for the purpose  of  making  findings  of
 fact essential to the determination of the motion. Except as provided in
 subdivision  [six]  SEVEN  of  this section, it may subpoena or call and
 examine witnesses, who must either testify under oath or be permitted to
 give unsworn testimony pursuant to subdivision two of section  60.20  OF
 THIS  TITLE  and  must authorize the attorneys for the parties to do the
 same.
   7. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the  child  witness  OR
 THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS who is alleged to be vulnerable may
 not  be compelled to testify at such hearing or to submit to any psycho-
 logical or psychiatric examination. The failure of the child witness  OR
 THE  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE  VICTIM WITNESS to testify at such hearing shall
 not be a ground for denying a motion made pursuant to subdivision one of
 this section. Prior statements made by the child witness relating to any
 allegations of conduct constituting an offense defined  in  article  one
 hundred  thirty of the penal law or incest as defined in section 255.25,
 255.26 or 255.27 of such law, or PRIOR  STATEMENTS  MADE  BY  THE  CHILD
 WITNESS  OR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS RELATING to any allega-
 tion of words or conduct constituting an attempt to prevent,  impede  or
 deter  [the child] SUCH witness from cooperating in the investigation or
 prosecution  of  the  offense  shall  be  admissible  at  such  hearing,
 provided, however, that a declaration that a child witness OR A DOMESTIC
 VIOLENCE  VICTIM WITNESS is vulnerable may not be based solely upon such
 prior statements.
 S. 4893                             4
 
   8. (a) Notwithstanding any of the provisions of article forty-five  of
 the  civil practice law and rules, any physician, psychologist, nurse or
 social worker who has treated a child witness  OR  A  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE
 VICTIM  WITNESS  may testify at a hearing conducted pursuant to subdivi-
 sion  [five]  SIX of this section concerning the treatment of such child
 witness OR SUCH DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE  VICTIM  WITNESS  as  such  treatment
 relates  to the issue presented at the hearing, provided that any other-
 wise applicable statutory privileges concerning  communications  between
 the  child  witness  OR  THE  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS and such
 physician, psychologist, nurse or social worker in connection with  such
 treatment  shall not be deemed waived by such testimony alone, except to
 the limited extent of permitting the court alone to  examine  in  camera
 reports,  records  or  documents,  if  any,  prepared by such physician,
 psychologist, nurse or social worker. If upon such examination the court
 determines that such reports,  records  or  documents,  or  any  one  or
 portion  thereof, contain information material and relevant to the issue
 of whether the child witness OR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS  is
 a  vulnerable [child] witness, the court shall disclose such information
 to both the attorney for the defendant and the district attorney.
   (b) At any time after a motion has been made pursuant  to  subdivision
 one of this section, upon the demand of the other party the moving party
 must  furnish  the  demanding  party  with a copy of any and all of such
 records, reports or other documents in  the  possession  of  such  other
 party  and  must,  in addition, supply the court with a copy of all such
 reports, records or other documents which are the subject of the demand.
 At any time after a demand has been made pursuant to this paragraph, the
 moving party may demand that property of the same kind or  character  in
 possession of the party that originally made such demand be furnished to
 the  moving party and, if so furnished, be supplied, in addition, to the
 court.
   9. (a) Prior to the commencement of the hearing conducted pursuant  to
 subdivision six of this section, the district attorney shall, subject to
 a  protective  order,  comply  with the provisions of subdivision one of
 section 245.20 of this chapter as they  concern  any  witness  whom  the
 district  attorney  intends to call at the hearing and the child witness
 OR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS.
   (b) Before a defendant calls a witness at  such  hearing,  he  or  she
 must,  subject  to  a  protective  order,  comply with the provisions of
 subdivision four of section 245.20 of this chapter as they  concern  all
 the witnesses the defendant intends to call at such hearing.
   10.  The  court may consider, in determining whether there are factors
 which would cause the child witness  OR  THE  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE  VICTIM
 WITNESS  to  suffer serious mental or emotional harm, a finding that any
 one or more of the following  circumstances  have  been  established  by
 clear and convincing evidence:
   (a) The manner of the commission of the offense of which the defendant
 is  accused was particularly heinous or was characterized by aggravating
 circumstances.
   (b) The child witness OR  THE  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE  VICTIM  WITNESS  is
 particularly  young  or  otherwise particularly subject to psychological
 harm on account of a physical or mental condition which  existed  before
 the alleged commission of the offense.
   (c) At the time of the alleged offense, the defendant occupied a posi-
 tion of authority with respect to the child witness.
 S. 4893                             5

   (d)  The offense or offenses charged were part of an ongoing course of
 conduct committed by the defendant against  the  child  witness  OR  THE
 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS over an extended period of time.
   (e)  A deadly weapon or dangerous instrument was allegedly used during
 the commission of the crime.
   (f) The defendant has inflicted serious physical injury upon the child
 witness OR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS.
   (g) A threat, express or implied, of physical violence  to  the  child
 witness  OR  THE  DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS, or a third person if
 [the child] SUCH witness were to report the incident to  any  person  or
 communicate information to or cooperate with a court, grand jury, prose-
 cutor,  police officer or peace officer concerning the incident has been
 made by or on behalf of the defendant.
   (h) A threat, express or implied, of the incarceration of a parent  or
 guardian  of  the child witness OR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS,
 the removal of the child witness OR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS
 from the family or the dissolution of the family of the child witness OR
 THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS if [the child] SUCH witness were to
 report the incident to any person or communicate information to or coop-
 erate with a court, grand jury,  prosecutor,  police  officer  or  peace
 officer  concerning  the  incident  has been made by or on behalf of the
 defendant.
   (i) A witness other than the child witness OR  THE  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE
 VICTIM  WITNESS  has  received a threat of physical violence directed at
 such witness or to a third person by or on behalf of the defendant.
   (j) The defendant, at the time of the inquiry, (i) is  living  in  the
 same  household  with  the child witness OR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM
 WITNESS, (ii) has ready access to the  child  witness  OR  THE  DOMESTIC
 VIOLENCE  VICTIM  WITNESS  or  (iii)  is providing substantial financial
 support for the child witness OR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS.
   (k) The child witness OR THE  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE  VICTIM  WITNESS  has
 previously  been the victim of an offense defined in article one hundred
 thirty of the penal law or incest as defined in section  255.25,  255.26
 or 255.27 of such law.
   (l)  According  to expert testimony, the child witness OR THE DOMESTIC
 VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS would be particularly  [suceptible]  SUSCEPTIBLE
 to  psychological  harm  if  required to testify in open court or in the
 physical presence of the defendant.
   11. Irrespective of whether a motion was made pursuant to  subdivision
 one of this section, the court, at the request of either party or on its
 own  motion,  may  decide  that  a  child witness OR A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
 VICTIM WITNESS may be vulnerable based on its own  observations  that  a
 child  witness OR A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS who has been called
 to testify at a  criminal  proceeding  is  suffering  severe  mental  or
 emotional harm and therefore is physically or mentally unable to testify
 or  to  continue to testify in open court or in the physical presence of
 the defendant and that the use of  live,  two-way  closed-circuit  tele-
 vision  is  necessary  to enable [the child] SUCH witness to testify. If
 the court so decides, it must conduct the same hearing that  subdivision
 [five]  SIX  of  this section requires when a motion is made pursuant to
 subdivision one of this section, and  it  must  make  findings  of  fact
 pursuant  to  subdivisions  [nine  and  eleven]  TEN  AND TWELVE of this
 section, before determining that  the  child  witness  OR  THE  DOMESTIC
 VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS is vulnerable.
   12.  In deciding whether a child witness OR A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM
 WITNESS is vulnerable, the court  shall  make  findings  of  fact  which
 S. 4893                             6
 
 reflect the causal relationship between the existence of any one or more
 of  the  factors  set forth in subdivision [nine] TEN of this section or
 other relevant factors which the court finds  are  established  and  the
 determination  that  the  child  witness OR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM
 WITNESS is vulnerable.  If the court is satisfied that the child witness
 OR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS is vulnerable  and  that,  under
 the  facts  and  circumstances  of  the particular case, the defendant's
 constitutional rights to an impartial jury or of confrontation will  not
 be  impaired, it may enter an order granting the application for the use
 of live, two-way closed-circuit television.
   13. When the court has determined that a child witness OR  A  DOMESTIC
 VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS is a vulnerable [child] witness, it shall make a
 specific  finding  as  to  whether  placing  the defendant and the child
 witness OR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS in the same room  during
 the  testimony  of  the  child  witness  OR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM
 WITNESS will contribute to the likelihood that [the child] SUCH  witness
 will  suffer  severe  mental  or emotional harm. If the court finds that
 placing the defendant and the child witness  OR  THE  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE
 VICTIM  WITNESS  in  the  same  room  during  the testimony of the child
 witness OR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM WITNESS will contribute  to  the
 likelihood  that  [the  child] SUCH witness will suffer severe mental or
 emotional harm, the  order  entered  pursuant  to  subdivision  [eleven]
 TWELVE  of  this  section  shall direct that the defendant remain in the
 courtroom during the testimony of the vulnerable [child] witness.
 § 65.30 Closed-circuit television; special testimonial procedures.
   1. When the court has entered an order pursuant to  section  65.20  OF
 THIS  ARTICLE,  the testimony of the vulnerable [child] witness shall be
 taken in the testimonial room and the image and voice of the  vulnerable
 [child]  witness,  as  well as the image of all other persons other than
 the operator present in the testimonial room, shall be transmitted  live
 by  means  of  closed-circuit television to the courtroom. The courtroom
 shall be equipped with monitors sufficient to permit  the  judge,  jury,
 defendant  and  attorneys  to  observe  the  demeanor  of the vulnerable
 [child] witness during his or her testimony. Unless  the  courtroom  has
 been  closed pursuant to court order, the public shall also be permitted
 to hear the testimony and view  the  image  of  the  vulnerable  [child]
 witness.
   2.  In  all  instances,  the image of the jury shall be simultaneously
 transmitted to the vulnerable [child] witness in the  testimonial  room.
 If  the  court  order  issued  pursuant to section 65.20 OF THIS ARTICLE
 specifies that the vulnerable [child] witness shall testify outside  the
 physical  presence  of the defendant, the image of the defendant and the
 image and voice of the person examining the vulnerable  [child]  witness
 shall  also  be  simultaneously  transmitted  to  the vulnerable [child]
 witness in the testimonial room.
   3. The operator shall place herself or himself and the  closed-circuit
 television  equipment in a position that permits the entire testimony of
 the vulnerable [child] witness to be transmitted to  the  courtroom  but
 limits  the ability of the vulnerable [child] witness to see or hear the
 operator or the equipment.
   4. Notwithstanding any provision of this article, if the  court  in  a
 particular  case  involving a vulnerable [child] witness determines that
 there is no live, two-way closed-circuit television equipment  available
 in  the court or another court in the county or which can be transported
 to the court from another county or that such equipment,  if  available,
 is  technologically  inadequate  to protect the constitutional rights of
 S. 4893                             7
 
 the defendant, it shall not permit the use of the  closed-circuit  tele-
 vision procedures authorized by this article.
   5. If the order of the court entered pursuant to section 65.20 OF THIS
 ARTICLE  requires that the defendant remain in the courtroom, the attor-
 ney for the defendant and the district attorney shall also remain in the
 courtroom unless the court is  satisfied  that  their  presence  in  the
 testimonial  room will not impede full and private communication between
 the defendant and his or her attorney and will not encourage the jury to
 draw an inference adverse to the interest of the defendant.
   6. Upon request of the defendant, the court shall  instruct  the  jury
 that they are to draw no inference from the use of live, two-way closed-
 circuit television in the examination of the vulnerable [child] witness.
   7.  The  vulnerable [child] witness shall testify under oath except as
 specified in subdivision two of section 60.20 OF THIS TITLE.  The  exam-
 ination  and  cross-examination of the vulnerable [child] witness shall,
 in all other respects, be conducted in the same manner as if the vulner-
 able [child] witness had testified in the courtroom.
   8. When the testimony of the vulnerable [child] witness is transmitted
 from the testimonial room into the  courtroom,  the  court  stenographer
 shall  record  the  [textimony]  TESTIMONY  in the same manner as if the
 vulnerable [child] witness had testified in the courtroom.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and  shall  apply  to  all
 criminal  actions  and proceedings commenced prior to the effective date
 of this act but still pending on such  date  as  well  as  all  criminal
 actions  and  proceedings  commenced  on  or  after such effective date.
 Provided that the amendments to article 65  of  the  criminal  procedure
 law,  made  by  section  one of this act, shall not affect the repeal of
 such article and shall be deemed repealed therewith.