S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
10367
I N A S S E M B L Y
May 4, 2020
___________
Introduced by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Children and Families
AN ACT to amend the family court act, in relation to requiring that
attorneys be available to parents of minors involved in a family court
proceeding, and to amend the social services law and the New York city
charter, in relation to requiring that all interactions with children
by child protective services and the administration for children's
services are videotaped
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Article 2 of the family court act is amended by adding a
new part 7 to read as follows:
PART 7
ATTORNEYS FOR PARENTS
SECTION 270. ATTORNEYS FOR PARENTS.
§ 270. ATTORNEYS FOR PARENTS. PARENTS OF MINORS WHO ARE THE SUBJECT OF
FAMILY COURT PROCEEDINGS OR APPEALS IN PROCEEDINGS ORIGINATING IN THE
FAMILY COURT SHOULD BE REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL OF THEIR OWN CHOOSING OR,
IF A PARENT OR PARENTS SO CHOOSE NOT TO HIRE COUNSEL ON THEIR OWN, THEN
COUNSEL SHALL BE ASSIGNED TO THEM. SUCH REPRESENTATION OF COUNSEL SHALL
BE AVAILABLE OR ASSIGNED TO PARENTS THROUGHOUT PROCEEDINGS IN THEIR
ENTIRETY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, BEFORE A PETITION IS FILED, AT
ARRAIGNMENT PROCEEDINGS, AND THROUGHOUT THE COURTHOUSE INTAKE PROCESS.
§ 2. The social services law is amended by adding a new section 422-d
to read as follows:
§ 422-D. VIDEO MONITORING OF INTERACTION WITH CHILDREN. THE OFFICE OF
CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN
MEMBERS OF CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND THE CHILDREN THEY ARE ASSIGNED
TO INVESTIGATE OR WORK WITH SHALL BE RECORDED ON VIDEO, IN ORDER TO
PROMOTE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY IN THE INVESTIGATIONS AND
PROCEEDINGS CONDUCTED BY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
§ 3. The New York city charter is amended by adding a new section
619-a to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
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