Bill > A01891

This bill establishes the Child Victims Act Fund, a special fund designed to provide financial reimbursement to public school districts and voluntary foster care agencies in New York that have been named as defendants in child sexual abuse legal cases under specific circumstances. The fund will be jointly managed by the Commissioner of Taxation and Finance, the State Comptroller, and the Commissioner of Criminal Justice Services, and will be primarily funded through a voluntary contribution option on both corporate and personal income tax returns starting in 2025. To receive reimbursement from the fund, an organization must demonstrate that: (1) no insurance policy for the covered period can be located after a good-faith search, (2) a monetary judgment or settlement has been issued, and (3) paying the full judgment would substantially burden the organization's ability to execute its mission and negatively impact its existing student population. The bill appropriates $200 million to the fund and requires an annual public report detailing fund utilization, including disbursement amounts, recipients, award purposes, and financial projections. The fund aims to provide financial support to organizations facing significant legal costs related to historical child sexual abuse cases while ensuring transparency in the distribution of funds.

Budget and Finance

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A1891