Senate Bill S3988

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3988
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 31, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  PARKER, BAILEY -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed to  the  Committee  on  Children  and
   Families
 
 AN  ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to written notifi-
   cation to schools of a student's placement in foster care

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section
 405 to read as follows:
   § 405. NOTIFICATION TO SCHOOLS OF FOSTER CARE PLACEMENT. 1.   WHENEVER
 A CHILD PLACED IN FOSTER FAMILY CARE OR AN AGENCY BOARDING HOME OR GROUP
 HOME WHO IS A PUBLIC CHARGE IN A SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT IS ADMITTED TO
 A  SCHOOL,  AN OFFICIAL WITHIN THAT SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT OR AN OFFI-
 CIAL OF THE AUTHORIZED AGENCY ACTING ON THE CHILD'S BEHALF  IN  BOARDING
 OUT  SUCH  CHILD,  SHALL  SEND  WRITTEN NOTIFICATION TO THE PRINCIPAL OR
 PRINCIPAL'S DESIGNEE OF THE SCHOOL IN WHICH THE CHILD IS  ENROLLED  THAT
 SAID  CHILD IS IN FOSTER FAMILY CARE OR AN AGENCY BOARDING HOME OR GROUP
 HOME. SUCH NOTIFICATION MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE PRINCIPAL OR PRINCIPAL'S
 DESIGNEE NO LATER THAN THE FIRST  DAY  DURING  WHICH  THE  CHILD  IS  IN
 ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL AND MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
   (A) THE NAME OF SUCH CHILD;
   (B) THE DATE OF BIRTH OF SUCH CHILD, IF ASCERTAINABLE, OR SUCH CHILD'S
 APPARENT AGE;
   (C)  THE NAMES AND ADDRESS OF THE FOSTER PARENTS OR, WHERE APPLICABLE,
 THE NAME OF THE CHILD CARE AGENCY AND THE ADDRESS OF THE AGENCY BOARDING
 HOME OR GROUP HOME;
   (D) THE NAME AND LOCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN WHICH  SUCH  CHILD
 RESIDED AT THE TIME SUCH CHILD BECAME A PUBLIC CHARGE IN FOSTER CARE;
   (E)  THE  NAME  AND LOCATION OF THE SCHOOL LAST ATTENDED BY SUCH CHILD
 PRIOR TO SUCH CHILD'S CURRENT ADMISSION; AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04025-01-5
 S. 3988                             2
              

 
   (F) THE NAME AND LOCATION OF THE LOCAL  SOCIAL  SERVICES  COMMISSIONER
 CARING FOR SUCH CHILD, AND THE NAME AND LOCATION OF ANY AUTHORIZED AGEN-
 CY ACTING ON SUCH CHILD'S BEHALF.
   2.  ANY  INFORMATION  GATHERED OR DISSEMINATED ABOUT A CHILD PLACED IN
 FOSTER FAMILY CARE OR AN AGENCY BOARDING HOME OR GROUP HOME PURSUANT  TO
 THIS  SECTION SHALL BE TREATED IN A CONFIDENTIAL MANNER AND SHALL NOT BE
 DISTRIBUTED,  MADE  AVAILABLE  OR  DISCLOSED  BY  THE  SOCIAL   SERVICES
 DISTRICT, AUTHORIZED AGENCY OR SCHOOL OTHER THAN AS SPECIFICALLY PERMIT-
 TED BY SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
 it shall have become a law.