Removes certain restrictions on the release of unfounded reports of alleged abuse or maltreatment reports for persons engaged in a bona fide research purpose.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9280
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
November 21, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. HEVESI -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Children and Families
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to removing
research restrictions from certain unfounded reports of alleged abuse
or maltreatment
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subparagraphs (iv) and (v) of paragraph (a) of subdivision
2 5 of section 422 of the social services law, subparagraph (iv) as
3 amended by chapter 555 of the laws of 2000, and subparagraph (v) as
4 amended by chapter 256 of the laws of 2014, are amended and a new
5 subparagraph (vi) is added to read as follows:
6 (iv) to the subject of the report; [and]
7 (v) to a district attorney, an assistant district attorney, an inves-
8 tigator employed in the office of a district attorney, or to a sworn
9 officer of the division of state police, of a city, county, town or
10 village police department or of a county sheriff's office when such
11 official verifies that the report is necessary to conduct an active
12 investigation or prosecution of a violation of subdivision four of
13 section 240.50 of the penal law[.]; and
14 (vi) to any person engaged in a bona fide research purpose, provided,
15 however, that no information identifying the subjects of the report and
16 other persons named in the report shall be made available to the
17 researcher unless it is absolutely essential to the research purpose and
18 the department gives prior approval.
19 § 2. Subparagraph (vii) of paragraph (d) of subdivision 5 of section
20 427-a of the social services law, as amended by chapter 377 of the laws
21 of 2011, is amended and a new subparagraph (viii) is added to read as
22 follows:
23 (vii) the subject of the report included in the records of the family
24 assessment and services track[.]; and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14039-02-5
A. 9280 2
1 (viii) any person engaged in a bona fide research purpose, provided,
2 however, that no information identifying the subjects of the report and
3 other persons named in the report and records created shall be made
4 available to the researcher unless it is absolutely essential to the
5 research purpose and the department gives prior approval.
6 § 3. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
7 have become a law.
