Senate Bill S5257A

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Requires mandatory background checks for persons employed by certain businesses serving minors and prohibiting certain persons from owning such businesses

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Consumer Protection Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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Bill Amendments

2025-S5257 - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Consumer Protection
Law Section:
General Business Law
Laws Affected:
Add §398-g, Gen Bus L

2025-S5257 - Summary

Requires mandatory background checks for persons employed by or volunteering at any business, organization, or entity that regularly provides instructional, recreational or extracurricular services to minors, including but not limited to dance studios, gymnastic schools, martial arts academies, sports training facilities, music schools and performing arts schools, tutoring and academic enrichment centers; provides for enforcement and penalties; prohibits certain people from owning such businesses.

2025-S5257 - Sponsor Memo

2025-S5257 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5257
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 20, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. HINCHEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Consumer Protection
 
 AN ACT to amend the general  business  law,  in  relation  to  requiring
   mandatory background checks for persons employed by certain businesses
   serving  minors and prohibiting certain persons from owning such busi-
   nesses
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section
 398-g to read as follows:
   § 398-G. BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUTH SERVICE PROVIDERS. 1.
 AS USED IN THIS SECTION:
   (A)  (I)  "YOUTH  SERVICE  PROVIDER"  MEANS ANY OF THE FOLLOWING BUSI-
 NESSES, ORGANIZATIONS, OR ENTITIES THAT REGULARLY PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONAL,
 RECREATIONAL OR EXTRACURRICULAR SERVICES TO MINORS:
   (A) DANCE, MUSIC, OR PERFORMING ARTS STUDIOS OR SCHOOLS;
   (B) MARTIAL ARTS ACADEMIES;
   (C) SPORTS TRAINING FACILITIES; OR
   (D) TUTORING OR ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT CENTERS.
   (II) "YOUTH SERVICE PROVIDER FACILITY" SHALL NOT INCLUDE ANY PUBLIC OR
 PRIVATE SCHOOL SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE EDUCATION LAW OR ANY DAY
 CARE CENTER SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS  OF  ARTICLE  SIX  OF  THE  SOCIAL
 SERVICES LAW.
   (B)  "COVERED PERSON" MEANS AN OPERATOR, EMPLOYEE, VOLUNTEER, OR INDE-
 PENDENT CONTRACTOR WHO HAS DIRECT AND SUBSTANTIAL  CONTACT  WITH  MINORS
 THROUGH A YOUTH SERVICE PROVIDER FACILITY.
   (C)  "MINOR  CHILD"  OR "MINOR" MEANS A CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF SIXTEEN
 YEARS.
   2. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW  TO  THE  CONTRARY,  AND
 SUBJECT  TO  RULES  AND  REGULATIONS OF THE DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09912-02-5
 S. 5257                             2
              

2025-S5257A (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Consumer Protection
Law Section:
General Business Law
Laws Affected:
Add §398-g, Gen Bus L

2025-S5257A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires mandatory background checks for persons employed by or volunteering at any business, organization, or entity that regularly provides instructional, recreational or extracurricular services to minors, including but not limited to dance studios, gymnastic schools, martial arts academies, sports training facilities, music schools and performing arts schools, tutoring and academic enrichment centers; provides for enforcement and penalties; prohibits certain people from owning such businesses.

2025-S5257A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S5257A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  5257--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 20, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. HINCHEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee  on  Consumer  Protection  --
   committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
   recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the general  business  law,  in  relation  to  requiring
   mandatory background checks for persons employed by certain businesses
   serving  minors and prohibiting certain persons from owning such busi-
   nesses
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section
 398-g to read as follows:
   § 398-G. BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUTH SERVICE PROVIDERS. 1.
 AS USED IN THIS SECTION:
   (A)  (I)  "YOUTH  SERVICE  PROVIDER"  MEANS ANY OF THE FOLLOWING BUSI-
 NESSES, ORGANIZATIONS, OR ENTITIES THAT REGULARLY PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONAL,
 RECREATIONAL OR EXTRACURRICULAR SERVICES TO MINORS,  INCLUDING  BUT  NOT
 LIMITED TO:
   (A) DANCE, GYMNASTICS, MUSIC, OR PERFORMING ARTS STUDIOS OR SCHOOLS;
   (B) MARTIAL ARTS ACADEMIES;
   (C) SPORTS TRAINING FACILITIES; OR
   (D) TUTORING OR ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT CENTERS.
   (II) "YOUTH SERVICE PROVIDER FACILITY" SHALL NOT INCLUDE ANY PUBLIC OR
 PRIVATE SCHOOL SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE EDUCATION LAW OR ANY DAY
 CARE  CENTER  SUBJECT  TO  THE  PROVISIONS  OF ARTICLE SIX OF THE SOCIAL
 SERVICES LAW.
   (B) "COVERED PERSON" MEANS AN OPERATOR, EMPLOYEE, VOLUNTEER, OR  INDE-
 PENDENT  CONTRACTOR  WHO  HAS DIRECT AND SUBSTANTIAL CONTACT WITH MINORS
 THROUGH A YOUTH SERVICE PROVIDER FACILITY.
   (C) "MINOR CHILD" OR "MINOR" MEANS A CHILD UNDER THE AGE  OF  EIGHTEEN
 YEARS.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09912-04-5
              

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