BILL NUMBER:A10358
TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the social services law, in relation to
permitting local chapters of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America to
have access to conviction records of volunteers
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: To help ensure that Big Brothers/Big
Sisters of America volunteers and/or employees have no criminal history
which could adversely affect their child caring responsibilities.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Section 378 (a) of the Social Services
Law is amended to allow the Division of Criminal Justice Services to
promulgate rules and regulations governing Big Brothers/Big Sisters of
America's access to criminal records for its volunteers and/or employ-
ees.
JUSTIFICATION: As part of the effort to prevent the abuse of children
outside of the home, the screening of persons who have substantial
contact with children is essential. This bill recognizes and responds to
the unique nature of the services of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America
organizations whose volunteers and/or employees spend large amounts of
time within a one-on-one situation with children. It is essential that
mechanisms are in place to ensure that these individuals and/or employ-
ees do not have any criminal convictions involving activity which would
jeopardize a child's well-being.
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
10358
I N A S S E M B L Y
March 19, 2010
___________
Introduced by M. of A. TEDISCO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.
BACALLES, CALHOUN, CROUCH, KOLB, O'MARA -- read once and referred to
the Committee on Children and Families
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to permitting local
chapters of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America to have access to
conviction records of volunteers
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 378-a of the social services law,
as amended by chapter 7 of the laws of 1999, is amended to read as
follows:
1. Subject to rules and regulations of the division of criminal
justice services, an authorized agency AND ANY CHAPTER OF THE BIG
BROTHERS/BIG SISTERS OF AMERICA ORGANIZED UNDER THE NOT-FOR-PROFIT
CORPORATION LAW shall have access to conviction records maintained by
state law enforcement agencies pertaining to persons who have applied
for and are under active consideration for employment by such authorized
agency OR AS A VOLUNTEER FOR SUCH CHAPTER in positions where such
persons will be engaged directly in the care and supervision of chil-
dren.
S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
it shall have become a law, provided however, that effective immediate-
ly, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation
necessary for the implementation of the foregoing section of this act on
its effective date is authorized and directed to be made and completed
on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15882-01-0
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