Senate Bill S6115

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6115

SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to requiring video
cameras in facilities operated by the office for people with develop-
mental disabilities

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To allow the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities to place
video cameras on the entrance and exit of all facilities.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Amends the mental hygiene law to provide that, the Office
for-People with Developmental Disabilities, including group homes, resi-
dential homes, inpatient facilities, and all other facilities to insttl
video cameras at all entrances and exits; to ensure safety, the
Corzmis7,- sioner, in consultation with the State Police, shall develop
a sysicr, for maintaining such recorded images.
              

Section 2. Sets forth the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Paula Liblick, a 61yo OPWDD resident in a group home in the Hudson was
assaulted and raped by an intruder to the home, but since no mechanism
existed to catalogue visitors to the home, no suspects were identified
except for the 2 long term staff at the home. Also, recently the New
York Times ran a series of stories entitled "At State Run Homes, abuse
and Impunity" which highlighted many of the problems in the state run
homes, facilities and programs.

We have cameras recording information on visitors to many public build-
ings and institutions in an effort to protect the denizens and property
at these sites. Certainly, the residents and participants of the state
run OPWDD programs, who are society's most vulnerable, deserve to be
protected in the same manner.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023-24: S7959- Referred to Mental Health/Referred to Ways and Means

2021-22: S3478/A70 - Referred to Mental Health/Referred to Ways and
Means

2019-20: S4015/A3529 Reported to Mental Health

2017-18: S2941/A745 Reported to Ways & Means/S2941 referred to Mental
Health

2015-16: S3623/A1059 reported to Ways & Means/S3622 reported to Finance

2013-14: S2000-A/A1715A reported to Codes/S2000A reported to Finance

2011-12: S4817/A7128 referred to Mental He reported to Finance

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become law.