Requires day care centers and public schools to contact parents or guardians of a child when such child has an unexpected absence from school or day care to ensure the parents or guardians are aware and that such child is not in any danger.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8550
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
August 23, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. RIVERA -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Children and Families
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring day
care centers and public schools to contact a child's parent or guardi-
an if they are absent
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section
2 390-aa to read as follows:
3 § 390-aa. Child well-being check. 1. For purposes of this section, the
4 following terms shall have the following meanings:
5 (a) "Absent" or "absence" shall mean any child who is expected to be
6 present for day care services or school who has not arrived at the sche-
7 duled drop-off time.
8 (b) "Child day care provider" shall have the same meaning as defined
9 in paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section three hundred ninety of
10 this title.
11 (c) "Group family day care home" shall have the same meaning as
12 defined in paragraph (d) of subdivision one of section three hundred
13 ninety of this title.
14 (d) "Family day care home" shall have the same meaning as defined in
15 paragraph (e) of subdivision one of section three hundred ninety of this
16 title.
17 (e) "School age child care" shall have the same meaning as defined in
18 paragraph (f) of subdivision one of section three hundred ninety of this
19 title.
20 2. (a) All child day care providers, school age child care programs,
21 group family day care homes and family day care homes within the state
22 shall be required to contact a child's parent or guardian in the event
23 such child is absent on a given day, when prior notice of such child's
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13560-01-9
A. 8550 2
1 absence has not been provided, to confirm such child's absence is
2 expected and the parent or guardian is aware of such absence.
3 (b) Such day care providers, programs or homes shall contact such
4 parent or guardian within one hour after recording that a child is
5 absent on such day.
6 3. (a) All public schools within the state shall be required to
7 contact a child's parent or guardian in the event such child is absent
8 on a given day, when prior notice of such child's absence has not been
9 provided, to confirm such child's absence is expected and the parent or
10 guardian is aware of such absence.
11 (b) Such schools shall contact such parent or guardian within one hour
12 after recording that a child is absent on such day.
13 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.