S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6298
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
March 2, 2017
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Introduced by M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, ABBATE, GUNTHER -- Multi-Sponsored
by -- M. of A. CAHILL, COLTON, COOK, CYMBROWITZ, GALEF, GOTTFRIED,
MAGEE, RIVERA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the criminal procedure law, in relation to permitting a
social worker or other professional to provide emotional support to a
vulnerable elderly person testifying in certain grand jury proceedings
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 190.25 of the criminal procedure
law is amended by adding a new paragraph (i) to read as follows:
(I) A SOCIAL WORKER, RAPE CRISIS COUNSELOR, PSYCHOLOGIST OR OTHER
PROFESSIONAL PROVIDING EMOTIONAL SUPPORT TO A VULNERABLE ELDERLY PERSON,
AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION THREE OF SECTION 260.31 OF THE
PENAL LAW, AS ADDED BY CHAPTER THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY-ONE OF THE LAWS OF
NINETEEN HUNDRED NINETY-EIGHT, WHO IS CALLED TO GIVE EVIDENCE IN A GRAND
JURY PROCEEDING, CONCERNING ANY TYPE OF OFFENSE, PROVIDED THAT THE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY CONSENTS. SUCH SUPPORT PERSON SHALL NOT PROVIDE THE
WITNESS WITH AN ANSWER TO ANY QUESTION OR OTHERWISE PARTICIPATE IN SUCH
PROCEEDING AND SHALL FIRST TAKE AN OATH BEFORE THE GRAND JURY THAT HE OR
SHE WILL KEEP SECRET ALL MATTERS BEFORE SUCH GRAND JURY WITHIN HIS OR
HER KNOWLEDGE.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeed-
ing the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03336-01-7