Governor Signs Senator Saland's Legislation To Permit Child Witnesses To Testify Via Closed Circuit Television

Senator Steve Saland (R-C Poughkeepsie) today announced that the Governor has signed his legislation (S.5280) extending the provision of law that allows certain child witnesses in sex crime cases to testify via closed circuit television. The bill extends this protection from September 1, 2005 until September 1, 2007. The law was first passed in 1985.

Senator Saland has also sponsored legislation which has passed the Senate to minimize the emotional harm to child victims and witnesses in murder, attempted murder (S.470), assault, and endangering the welfare of a child (S.469) cases by allowing them to testify via closed-circuit television.

"Testifying in court often makes it even more difficult for children to recover emotionally," said Senator Saland. " "This legislation will continue to shield child witnesses from a practice that has the great potential to further traumatize an already victimized child."