STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9481
IN ASSEMBLY
January 7, 2026
___________
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 information
required to be provided in calls made to the statewide central regis-
ter of child abuse and maltreatment; and to amend a chapter of the
laws of 2025 amending the social services law relating to the adminis-
tration of the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreat-
ment, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 550-A and A. 66-A,
in relation to the effectiveness thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 of section 422 of the social
2 services law, as amended by a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending the
3 social services law relating to the administration of the statewide
4 central register of child abuse and maltreatment, as proposed in legis-
5 lative bills numbers S. 550-A and A. 66-A, is amended to read as
6 follows:
7 (a) The central register shall be capable of receiving telephone calls
8 alleging child abuse or maltreatment and of immediately identifying
9 prior reports of child abuse or maltreatment and capable of monitoring
10 the provision of child protective service twenty-four hours a day, seven
11 days a week. To effectuate this purpose, but subject to the provisions
12 of the appropriate local plan for the provision of child protective
13 services, there shall be a single statewide telephone number that all
14 persons, whether mandated by the law or not, may use to make telephone
15 calls alleging child abuse or maltreatment and that all persons so
16 authorized by this title may use for determining the existence of prior
17 reports in order to evaluate the condition or circumstances of a child.
18 In addition to the single statewide telephone number, there shall be a
19 special unlisted express telephone number and a telephone facsimile
20 number for use only by persons mandated by law to make telephone calls,
21 or to transmit telephone facsimile information on a form provided by the
22 commissioner of children and family services, alleging child abuse or
23 maltreatment, and for use by all persons so authorized by this title for
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00298-06-6
A. 9481 2
1 determining the existence of prior reports in order to evaluate the
2 condition or circumstances of a child. When any allegations contained in
3 such telephone calls could reasonably constitute a report of child abuse
4 or maltreatment, after utilizing protocols that would reduce implicit
5 bias from the decision-making process, such allegations, the caller's
6 name pursuant to paragraph (d) of this subdivision, the caller's contact
7 information pursuant to paragraph (d) of this subdivision and any previ-
8 ous reports to the central registry involving the subject of such report
9 or children named in such report, including any previous report contain-
10 ing allegations of child abuse and maltreatment alleged to have occurred
11 in other counties and districts in New York state shall be immediately
12 transmitted orally or electronically by the office of children and fami-
13 ly services to the appropriate local child protective service for inves-
14 tigation. The inability of the person calling the register to identify
15 the alleged perpetrator shall, in no circumstance, constitute the sole
16 cause for the register to reject such allegation or fail to transmit
17 such allegation for investigation. If the records indicate a previous
18 report concerning a subject of the report, the child alleged to be
19 abused or maltreated, a sibling, other children in the household, other
20 persons named in the report or other pertinent information, the appro-
21 priate local child protective service shall be immediately notified of
22 the fact. If the report involves either (i) an allegation of an abused
23 child described in paragraph (i), (ii) or (iii) of subdivision (e) of
24 section one thousand twelve of the family court act or sexual abuse of a
25 child or the death of a child or (ii) suspected maltreatment which
26 alleges any physical harm when the report is made by a person required
27 to report pursuant to section four hundred thirteen of this title within
28 six months of any other two reports that were indicated, or may still be
29 pending, involving the same child, sibling, or other children in the
30 household or the subject of the report, the office of children and fami-
31 ly services shall identify the report as such and note any prior reports
32 when transmitting the report to the local child protective services for
33 investigation.
34 § 2. Paragraphs (d) and (e) of subdivision 2 of section 422 of the
35 social services law, as added by a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending
36 the social services law relating to the administration of the statewide
37 central register of child abuse and maltreatment, as proposed in legis-
38 lative bills numbers S. 550-A and A. 66-A, are amended to read as
39 follows:
40 (d) A caller making a report of suspected child abuse or maltreatment
41 to the central [registry] register shall be asked for their name and
42 contact information. [No report shall be transmitted] The central regis-
43 ter may not transmit a report to a local child protective service for
44 investigation [unless] if the caller's name and contact information [is]
45 are not provided, unless the central register reasonably believes the
46 caller is a child under the age of eighteen. [Except for disclosures
47 authorized by subparagraphs (a) through (c) and (e) through (bb) of
48 paragraph (A) of subdivision four of this section, and disclosure to the
49 local child protective service as required pursuant to paragraph (a) of
50 this subdivision, neither the commissioner nor the central register
51 shall release the name and contact information of a caller who made a
52 report of suspected child abuse or maltreatment unless ordered by an
53 administrative law judge or a court of competent jurisdiction; provided,
54 however, that this provision shall not apply to individuals who are
55 mandated to report suspected child abuse or maltreatment pursuant to
56 section four hundred thirteen of this title. Prior to the entry of any
A. 9481 3
1 such order, the petitioner or social services official may move for a
2 protective order to withhold the identity of such individual if such
3 disclosure is likely to endanger the life or health of the person
4 reporting such suspected child abuse or maltreatment.]
5 (e) If a caller declines to provide their name and contact informa-
6 tion, [they will be connected] the central register must connect the
7 caller with a supervisor [at the central register], who [will] shall
8 inform the caller of the statutory provisions that protect callers'
9 confidentiality. If the caller, including a caller reasonably believed
10 to be a child under the age of eighteen, declines to provide their name
11 and contact information to the supervisor, the supervisor shall inform
12 the caller that (i) [concerns of suspected abuse or maltreatment may be
13 addressed through support services if the caller contacts the depart-
14 ment's HEARS Family Line or community-based service providers and]
15 preventive and supportive services may be available to assist in
16 addressing concerns relative to the care and well-being of a child and
17 referrals for such services may be provided upon request; and (ii) know-
18 ingly reporting false[, retaliatory] or baseless allegations is a
19 violation of subdivision four of section 240.50 of the penal law.
20 § 3. Section 4 of a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending the social
21 services law relating to the administration of the statewide central
22 register of child abuse and maltreatment, as proposed in legislative
23 bills numbers S. 550-A and A. 66-A, is amended to read as follows:
24 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
25 [section] sections one and two of this act shall take effect on the one
26 hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
27 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately; provided however, that
28 sections one and two of this act shall take effect on the same date and
29 in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending the social
30 services law relating to the administration of the statewide central
31 register of child abuse and maltreatment, as proposed in legislative
32 bills numbers S. 550-A and A. 66-A, takes effect.
