Bill Text: NY S07318 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relates to creating a hotline for the reporting of various forms of abuse which may jeopardize the health or welfare of any person.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 4-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - REFERRED TO AGING [S07318 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S07318-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          7318

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                      May 19, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  CANZONERI-FITZPATRICK  --  read  twice and ordered
          printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging

        AN ACT to amend the social services law and the elder law,  in  relation
          to providing protective services to certain individuals

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. Section 473 of the social services law is amended by adding
     2  a new subdivision 9 to read as follows:
     3    9. (a) Within amounts appropriated therefor, the  office  of  children
     4  and  family  services  shall  establish a statewide, toll-free telephone
     5  number (a "hotline") to receive reports consistent with subdivision  one
     6  of  this  section.  The  hotline shall receive reports of allegations of
     7  reportable incidents twenty-four hours per day, seven days a week.   The
     8  hotline shall accept anonymous calls.
     9    (b)  When any allegation that could reasonably constitute a reportable
    10  incident is received by the hotline, the hotline shall accept and  imme-
    11  diately  transmit  notice of the report orally and electronically to any
    12  appropriate state agencies or local social services office.  Whenever  a
    13  telephone  call or electronic transmission to the hotline alleges an act
    14  or circumstances that may constitute a criminal offense or an  immediate
    15  threat  to  an individual's health, safety or welfare, the hotline shall
    16  convey, by the most expedient means available, the information contained
    17  in such call or transmission to the appropriate law  enforcement  agency
    18  or district attorney and, to the extent necessary, the appropriate emer-
    19  gency  responder, and the relevant state agency or local social services
    20  office.
    21    (c) The commissioner is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations
    22  to facilitate the implementation and operation of the hotline, including
    23  but not limited to, procedures for  timely  and  accurate  referrals  to
    24  other  state  agencies  or entities that may have investigative or over-
    25  sight authority regarding reported incidents.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD09212-01-3
        S. 7318                             2

     1    § 2. Subdivision 16 of section 202 of the elder  law,  as  amended  by
     2  chapter 63 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
     3    16.  to  the  extent appropriations are available, and in consultation
     4  with the office of children and family services, conduct a public educa-
     5  tion campaign that  emphasizes  zero-tolerance  for  elder  abuse.  Such
     6  campaign shall include information about the signs and symptoms of elder
     7  abuse, identification of potential causes of elder abuse, which includes
     8  identity theft, resources available to assist in the prevention of elder
     9  abuse,  where  suspected elder abuse can be reported, including, but not
    10  limited to, information regarding the statewide hotline as provided  for
    11  in  paragraph  (a)  of subdivision nine of section four hundred seventy-
    12  three of the social  services  law,  contact  information  for  programs
    13  offering  services  to  victims  of  elder abuse such as counseling, and
    14  assistance with arranging personal care and shelter.  Such campaign  may
    15  include,  but  not  be limited to: printed educational and informational
    16  materials; audio, video, electronic, other  media;  and  public  service
    17  announcements or advertisements; and
    18    § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
    19  it shall have become a law.