Bill > A08689

This bill modifies existing law to allow unsealing of unfounded child abuse and maltreatment reports under specific judicial circumstances. Currently, these reports are typically kept confidential, but the bill creates two new pathways for accessing such sealed reports: first, law enforcement officials can now obtain access to these reports through a court order if they can demonstrate the information is necessary for prosecuting a penal law violation or is otherwise essential for furthering justice; second, a grand jury can also request access to these reports via a court order if the information is needed to investigate potential charges. The bill requires that when these reports are accessed, the names of subjects and other individuals mentioned should be redacted or protected from public disclosure. The changes aim to provide additional legal investigative tools while still maintaining significant privacy protections for individuals named in unfounded reports. Importantly, these modifications do not change the fundamental status of unfounded reports as generally inadmissible in judicial proceedings, but they do create narrow exceptions for criminal investigations and grand jury proceedings. The bill will take effect 90 days after becoming law.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A8689