S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
9481
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 7, 2026
___________
Introduced by M. of A. HEVESI -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Children and Families
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to information
required to be provided in calls made to the statewide central regis-
ter of child abuse and maltreatment; and to amend a chapter of the
laws of 2025 amending the social services law relating to the adminis-
tration of the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreat-
ment, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 550-A and A. 66-A,
in relation to the effectiveness thereof
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 of section 422 of the social
services law, as amended by a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending the
social services law relating to the administration of the statewide
central register of child abuse and maltreatment, as proposed in legis-
lative bills numbers S. 550-A and A. 66-A, is amended to read as
follows:
(a) The central register shall be capable of receiving telephone calls
alleging child abuse or maltreatment and of immediately identifying
prior reports of child abuse or maltreatment and capable of monitoring
the provision of child protective service twenty-four hours a day, seven
days a week. To effectuate this purpose, but subject to the provisions
of the appropriate local plan for the provision of child protective
services, there shall be a single statewide telephone number that all
persons, whether mandated by the law or not, may use to make telephone
calls alleging child abuse or maltreatment and that all persons so
authorized by this title may use for determining the existence of prior
reports in order to evaluate the condition or circumstances of a child.
In addition to the single statewide telephone number, there shall be a
special unlisted express telephone number and a telephone facsimile
number for use only by persons mandated by law to make telephone calls,
or to transmit telephone facsimile information on a form provided by the
commissioner of children and family services, alleging child abuse or
maltreatment, and for use by all persons so authorized by this title for
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00298-06-6
A. 9481 2
determining the existence of prior reports in order to evaluate the
condition or circumstances of a child. When any allegations contained in
such telephone calls could reasonably constitute a report of child abuse
or maltreatment, after utilizing protocols that would reduce implicit
bias from the decision-making process, such allegations, the caller's
name PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (D) OF THIS SUBDIVISION, the caller's contact
information PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (D) OF THIS SUBDIVISION and any previ-
ous reports to the central registry involving the subject of such report
or children named in such report, including any previous report contain-
ing allegations of child abuse and maltreatment alleged to have occurred
in other counties and districts in New York state shall be immediately
transmitted orally or electronically by the office of children and fami-
ly services to the appropriate local child protective service for inves-
tigation. The inability of the person calling the register to identify
the alleged perpetrator shall, in no circumstance, constitute the sole
cause for the register to reject such allegation or fail to transmit
such allegation for investigation. If the records indicate a previous
report concerning a subject of the report, the child alleged to be
abused or maltreated, a sibling, other children in the household, other
persons named in the report or other pertinent information, the appro-
priate local child protective service shall be immediately notified of
the fact. If the report involves either (i) an allegation of an abused
child described in paragraph (i), (ii) or (iii) of subdivision (e) of
section one thousand twelve of the family court act or sexual abuse of a
child or the death of a child or (ii) suspected maltreatment which
alleges any physical harm when the report is made by a person required
to report pursuant to section four hundred thirteen of this title within
six months of any other two reports that were indicated, or may still be
pending, involving the same child, sibling, or other children in the
household or the subject of the report, the office of children and fami-
ly services shall identify the report as such and note any prior reports
when transmitting the report to the local child protective services for
investigation.
§ 2. Paragraphs (d) and (e) of subdivision 2 of section 422 of the
social services law, as added by a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending
the social services law relating to the administration of the statewide
central register of child abuse and maltreatment, as proposed in legis-
lative bills numbers S. 550-A and A. 66-A, are amended to read as
follows:
(d) A caller making a report of suspected child abuse or maltreatment
to the central [registry] REGISTER shall be asked for their name and
contact information. [No report shall be transmitted] THE CENTRAL REGIS-
TER MAY NOT TRANSMIT A REPORT to a local child protective service for
investigation [unless] IF the caller's name and contact information [is]
ARE NOT provided, UNLESS THE CENTRAL REGISTER REASONABLY BELIEVES THE
CALLER IS A CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN. [Except for disclosures
authorized by subparagraphs (a) through (c) and (e) through (bb) of
paragraph (A) of subdivision four of this section, and disclosure to the
local child protective service as required pursuant to paragraph (a) of
this subdivision, neither the commissioner nor the central register
shall release the name and contact information of a caller who made a
report of suspected child abuse or maltreatment unless ordered by an
administrative law judge or a court of competent jurisdiction; provided,
however, that this provision shall not apply to individuals who are
mandated to report suspected child abuse or maltreatment pursuant to
section four hundred thirteen of this title. Prior to the entry of any
A. 9481 3
such order, the petitioner or social services official may move for a
protective order to withhold the identity of such individual if such
disclosure is likely to endanger the life or health of the person
reporting such suspected child abuse or maltreatment.]
(e) If a caller declines to provide their name and contact informa-
tion, [they will be connected] THE CENTRAL REGISTER MUST CONNECT THE
CALLER with a supervisor [at the central register], who [will] SHALL
inform the caller of the statutory provisions that protect callers'
confidentiality. If the caller, INCLUDING A CALLER REASONABLY BELIEVED
TO BE A CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN, declines to provide their name
and contact information to the supervisor, the supervisor shall inform
the caller that (i) [concerns of suspected abuse or maltreatment may be
addressed through support services if the caller contacts the depart-
ment's HEARS Family Line or community-based service providers and]
PREVENTIVE AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES MAY BE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST IN
ADDRESSING CONCERNS RELATIVE TO THE CARE AND WELL-BEING OF A CHILD AND
REFERRALS FOR SUCH SERVICES MAY BE PROVIDED UPON REQUEST; AND (ii) know-
ingly reporting false[, retaliatory] or baseless allegations is a
violation of subdivision four of section 240.50 of the penal law.
§ 3. Section 4 of a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending the social
services law relating to the administration of the statewide central
register of child abuse and maltreatment, as proposed in legislative
bills numbers S. 550-A and A. 66-A, is amended to read as follows:
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
[section] SECTIONS one AND TWO of this act shall take effect on the one
hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately; provided however, that
sections one and two of this act shall take effect on the same date and
in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending the social
services law relating to the administration of the statewide central
register of child abuse and maltreatment, as proposed in legislative
bills numbers S. 550-A and A. 66-A, takes effect.