Senate Bill S8578B

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Prohibits certain forensic child custody evaluators from appearing as an expert witness in family court

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Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Assembly Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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Bill Amendments

2021-S8578 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A10087
Current Committee:
Assembly Judiciary
Law Section:
Domestic Relations Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §§70 & 240, Dom Rel L; amd §651, Fam Ct Act
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:
S2084

2021-S8578 - Summary

Prohibits forensic child custody evaluators who have been terminated for cause from appearing as an expert witness in family court custody and visitation proceedings.

2021-S8578 - Sponsor Memo

2021-S8578 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8578
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 16, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. HARCKHAM -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Children and Families
 
 AN ACT to amend the domestic relations law and the family court act,  in
   relation to prohibiting certain forensic child custody evaluators from
   appearing as an expert witness in family court

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 70 of the domestic  relations  law  is  amended  by
 adding a new subdivision (c) to read as follows:
   (C)  (1)  NO  COURT SHALL PERMIT A FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATOR TO
 APPEAR AS AN EXPERT WITNESS NOR SHALL SUCH COURT  ORDER  OR  ALLOW  INTO
 EVIDENCE A FORENSIC REPORT PREPARED BY SUCH FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVAL-
 UATOR,  IN  THE CONTEXT OF A CUSTODY OR VISITATION PROCEEDING, WHEN SUCH
 FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATOR HAS HAD THEIR EMPLOYMENT TERMINATED FOR
 CAUSE.
   (2) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION:
   (I) "FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATOR" SHALL MEAN A LICENSED  PSYCHIA-
 TRIST,  PSYCHOLOGIST OR SOCIAL WORKER AUTHORIZED BY STATUTE OR THE COURT
 TO PERFORM A FORENSIC EVALUATION RELATING TO A PARTY OR A CHILD IN ORDER
 TO ASSIST THE COURT IN A CHILD CUSTODY OR VISITATION DETERMINATION.
   (II) "FORENSIC REPORT" SHALL MEAN ANY REPORT, ASSESSMENT OR EVALUATION
 PREPARED BY A FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATOR AND USED BY THE COURT  IN
 A CHILD CUSTODY OR VISITATION DETERMINATION.
   §  2.  Subdivision  1  of section 240 of the domestic relations law is
 amended by adding a new paragraph (a-3) to read as follows:
   (A-3) (1) NO COURT SHALL PERMIT A FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATOR  TO
 APPEAR  AS  AN  EXPERT  WITNESS NOR SHALL SUCH COURT ORDER OR ALLOW INTO
 EVIDENCE A FORENSIC REPORT PREPARED BY SUCH FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVAL-
 UATOR, IN THE CONTEXT OF A CUSTODY OR VISITATION PROCEEDING,  WHEN  SUCH
 FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATOR HAS HAD THEIR EMPLOYMENT TERMINATED FOR
 CAUSE.
   (2) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS PARAGRAPH:
   (I)  "FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATOR" SHALL MEAN A LICENSED PSYCHIA-
 TRIST, PSYCHOLOGIST OR SOCIAL WORKER AUTHORIZED BY STATUTE OR THE  COURT
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

co-Sponsors

2021-S8578A - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A10087
Current Committee:
Assembly Judiciary
Law Section:
Domestic Relations Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §§70 & 240, Dom Rel L; amd §651, Fam Ct Act
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:
S2084

2021-S8578A - Summary

Prohibits forensic child custody evaluators who have been terminated for cause from appearing as an expert witness in family court custody and visitation proceedings.

2021-S8578A - Sponsor Memo

2021-S8578A - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  8578--A
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 16, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. HARCKHAM -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Children and  Families  --
   committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
   recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the domestic relations law and the family court act,  in
   relation to prohibiting certain forensic child custody evaluators from
   appearing as an expert witness in family court
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 70 of the domestic  relations  law  is  amended  by
 adding a new subdivision (c) to read as follows:
   (C)  (1)  NO  COURT SHALL PERMIT A FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATOR TO
 APPEAR AS AN EXPERT WITNESS NOR SHALL SUCH COURT  ORDER  OR  ALLOW  INTO
 EVIDENCE A FORENSIC REPORT PREPARED BY SUCH FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVAL-
 UATOR,  IN  THE CONTEXT OF A CUSTODY OR VISITATION PROCEEDING, WHEN SUCH
 FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATOR HAS BEEN  REMOVED  FROM  THE  PANEL  OF
 FORENSIC  CUSTODY  EVALUATORS BY THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS CERTIF-
 ICATION COMMITTEE OR OTHER SUPERVISORY BODY, HAS OFFERED  TO  STEP  DOWN
 FROM  THE  PANEL,  OR  HAS NEGOTIATED A SETTLEMENT WITH THE COMMITTEE OR
 OTHER SUPERVISOR BODY AND SUCH FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATOR WILL  NO
 LONGER BE ON THE PANEL OF FORENSIC CUSTODY EVALUATORS.
   (2) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION:
   (I)  "FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATOR" SHALL MEAN A LICENSED PSYCHIA-
 TRIST, PSYCHOLOGIST OR SOCIAL WORKER AUTHORIZED BY STATUTE OR THE  COURT
 TO PERFORM A FORENSIC EVALUATION RELATING TO A PARTY OR A CHILD IN ORDER
 TO ASSIST THE COURT IN A CHILD CUSTODY OR VISITATION DETERMINATION.
   (II) "FORENSIC REPORT" SHALL MEAN ANY REPORT, ASSESSMENT OR EVALUATION
 PREPARED  BY A FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATOR AND USED BY THE COURT IN
 A CHILD CUSTODY OR VISITATION DETERMINATION.
   § 2. Subdivision 1 of section 240 of the  domestic  relations  law  is
 amended by adding a new paragraph (a-3) to read as follows:
   (A-3)  (1) NO COURT SHALL PERMIT A FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATOR TO
 APPEAR AS AN EXPERT WITNESS NOR SHALL SUCH COURT  ORDER  OR  ALLOW  INTO
 EVIDENCE A FORENSIC REPORT PREPARED BY SUCH FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVAL-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

co-Sponsors

2021-S8578B (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A10087
Current Committee:
Assembly Judiciary
Law Section:
Domestic Relations Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §§70 & 240, Dom Rel L; amd §651, Fam Ct Act
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:
S2084

2021-S8578B (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits forensic child custody evaluators who have been terminated for cause from appearing as an expert witness in family court custody and visitation proceedings.

2021-S8578B (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S8578B (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  8578--B
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 16, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. HARCKHAM, KRUEGER, PALUMBO -- read twice and ordered
   printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Children
   and  Families -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted
   as amended and recommitted to said committee -- committee  discharged,
   bill  amended,  ordered  reprinted  as amended and recommitted to said
   committee

 AN ACT to amend the domestic relations law and the family court act,  in
   relation to prohibiting certain forensic child custody evaluators from
   appearing as an expert witness in family court
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 70 of the domestic  relations  law  is  amended  by
 adding a new subdivision (c) to read as follows:
   (C)  (1)  NO  COURT SHALL PERMIT A FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATOR TO
 APPEAR AS AN EXPERT WITNESS NOR SHALL SUCH COURT  ORDER  OR  ALLOW  INTO
 EVIDENCE  A  FORENSIC  CUSTODY  REPORT  PREPARED  BY SUCH FORENSIC CHILD
 CUSTODY EVALUATOR, IN THE CONTEXT OF A CUSTODY OR VISITATION PROCEEDING,
 WHEN SUCH FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATOR HAS  BEEN  REMOVED  FROM  THE
 PANEL  OF FORENSIC CUSTODY EVALUATORS BY THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
 CERTIFICATION COMMITTEE OR OTHER SUPERVISORY BODY, HAS OFFERED  TO  STEP
 DOWN  FROM  THE PANEL, OR HAS NEGOTIATED A SETTLEMENT WITH THE COMMITTEE
 OR OTHER SUPERVISORY BODY AND SUCH FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATOR WILL
 NO LONGER BE ON THE PANEL OF FORENSIC CUSTODY EVALUATORS.
   (2) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION:
   (I) "FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATOR" SHALL MEAN A LICENSED  PSYCHIA-
 TRIST,  PSYCHOLOGIST OR SOCIAL WORKER AUTHORIZED BY STATUTE OR THE COURT
 TO PERFORM A FORENSIC EVALUATION RELATING TO A PARTY OR A CHILD IN ORDER
 TO ASSIST THE COURT IN A CHILD CUSTODY OR VISITATION DETERMINATION.
   (II) "FORENSIC CUSTODY REPORT" SHALL MEAN ANY  REPORT,  ASSESSMENT  OR
 EVALUATION  PREPARED  BY  A FORENSIC CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATOR AND USED BY
 THE COURT IN A CHILD CUSTODY OR VISITATION DETERMINATION.
   § 2. Subdivision 1 of section 240 of the  domestic  relations  law  is
 amended by adding a new paragraph (a-3) to read as follows:
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14752-08-2
              

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