Bill > S01319

This bill expands the list of professionals who are legally required to report suspected child abuse to include employees of tier II facilities and other shelters providing temporary housing to individuals under 18 years old. Currently, the law mandates that a wide range of professionals such as healthcare workers, educators, law enforcement, and social service workers must report suspected child abuse when they encounter it in their professional capacity. The bill adds employees of these specific types of shelters to this existing list of mandatory reporters, meaning that if these shelter employees have reasonable cause to suspect a child is being abused or maltreated, they are now legally obligated to report that suspicion to the appropriate authorities. A tier II facility typically refers to a type of temporary housing or shelter that provides services beyond basic emergency accommodation, often with additional support for vulnerable populations. The goal of this legislative change appears to be ensuring that more professionals who interact with potentially vulnerable children have a legal responsibility to protect them by reporting suspected abuse.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1319