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S02154 Summary:

S02154 Actions:

S02154 Committee Votes:

S02154 Floor Votes:

S02154 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                         2154--A
 
                               2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                    IN SENATE
 
                                    January 12, 2017
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  Sens.  SERINO,  LITTLE, PARKER -- read twice and ordered
          printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging --
          reported favorably from said committee and committed to the  Committee
          on Finance -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
          amended and recommitted to said committee

        AN  ACT  to  amend  the  social  services  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
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD04886-07-7
        S. 2154--A                          2
 
     1  but  not  limited  to,  procedures  for timely and accurate referrals to
     2  other state agencies or entities that may have  investigative  or  over-
     3  sight authority regarding reported incidents.
     4    § 2. Subdivision 16 of section 202 of the elder law, as added by chap-
     5  ter 455 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read as follows:
     6    16.  to  the  extent appropriations are available, and in consultation
     7  with the office of children and family services, conduct a public educa-
     8  tion campaign that  emphasizes  zero-tolerance  for  elder  abuse.  Such
     9  campaign shall include information about the signs and symptoms of elder
    10  abuse,  identification  of  potential  causes  of elder abuse, resources
    11  available to assist in the prevention of elder  abuse,  where  suspected
    12  elder  abuse can be reported, including, but not limited to, information
    13  regarding the statewide hotline as provided  for  in  paragraph  (a)  of
    14  subdivision  nine  of  section  four hundred seventy-three of the social
    15  services law, contact information  for  programs  offering  services  to
    16  victims of elder abuse such as counseling, and assistance with arranging
    17  personal care and shelter. Such campaign may include, but not be limited
    18  to: printed educational and informational materials; audio, video, elec-
    19  tronic, other media; and public service announcements or advertisements.
    20    § 3. This act shall take effect October 1, 2018.