Senate Acts to Protect New York’s Most Vulnerable Children and Adults

Brooklyn - The New York State Senate yesterday passed a measure to prevent child and adult abuse and expand the authority of protective workers to enable full investigations into allegations of abuse. The bill, S.3306B, is sponsored by Senator Martin Golden (R-C, Brooklyn).

Senator Marty Golden stated, “This bill will provide protection for those in the highest need. Victims of abuse, at any age will benefit from the authority provided within this legislation. This legislation ensures that every effort is made to prevent abusers from getting away with this abuse and to continue to make an effort toward bettering our great state.”

“This bill is a sensible step to further protect our children and adults from abuse,” Senate Majority Leader Dean G. Skelos said. “We need to act now to ensure that Child and Adult Protective Services officials have the authority and obligation to fully investigate abuse complaints so that life-long mistreatment will be prevented in the future.”

The measure improves government response and crucial access to children and impaired adults who may be victims of abuse by enhancing the investigative authority of Child and Adult Protective Services. It would ensure that repeated reports of serious abuse of children or impaired adults are fully investigated by allowing officials entry to the place where abuse is alleged and, if individuals interfere with abuse investigations by restricting access to the premises, charge those individuals with a class A misdemeanor. The bill also enables Child and Adult Protective Services to share important information about reports of abuse and other relevant records.

The bill has been sent to the Assembly.