Bill > A03558

This bill enacts the "Child Survivor Privacy Act", which provides comprehensive protections for child victims and witnesses in criminal proceedings. The bill expands the definition of "child witness" to include individuals up to 18 years old who are victims of or witnesses to crimes, and introduces several key protections. These include keeping court records confidential and not open to public inspection, allowing criminal proceedings involving child victims to be closed upon request, and ensuring the child's identity remains anonymous throughout the proceedings. The bill prohibits audio-visual coverage of criminal proceedings involving child victims and mandates that, whenever possible, the same prosecutor, advocate, and/or social worker should handle all aspects of a case to minimize the child's stress. Additionally, the legislation requires courts and criminal justice agencies to be sensitive to a child witness's psychological and emotional well-being, providing options like closed-circuit television testimony and allowing supportive persons to be present during testimony. The bill aims to create a more compassionate and protective legal environment for young victims and witnesses, reducing potential trauma associated with legal proceedings.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A3558