Bill > A03481

This bill amends the New York Social Services Law to address how child protective services (CPS) handles duplicate reports on existing cases. Specifically, if CPS receives a second report about an ongoing case that has not yet been classified as founded (meaning substantiated abuse or neglect), indicated (suggesting potential maltreatment), or referred to services, the new report will automatically merge with the existing case file. This merger will extend the open investigation period by an additional 30 days, allowing child protective investigators more time to thoroughly examine the new information and potentially gather more evidence about the child's safety and well-being. The purpose appears to be ensuring that multiple reports about the same potential child welfare concern are not dismissed or overlooked, but instead receive comprehensive and extended scrutiny to better protect children who might be at risk.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A3481