Assembly BillIntroduced
A 8716: Enacts the "autism data privacy protection act" which provides data protection for persons with autism.
What A 8716 does, verified January 8, 2026
The Autism Data Privacy Protection Act aims to safeguard individuals with autism by prohibiting state agencies from collecting and disclosing personally identifiable autism-related information without consent. This act ensures that individuals with autism have control over their personal data and can prevent unauthorized disclosure. State agencies can provide autism-related information in response to court orders, service delivery needs, or lawful mandates, while taking steps to limit and anonymize their data. The attorney general can bring action to enforce this act, including injunctive relief and civil penalties of up to $2,500 per violation. The act takes effect immediately, providing essential protections for individuals with autism.
Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: referred to governmental operations (2026-01-07)Alert me
Quick answers about A 8716
- What is the current status of A 8716?
- As of January 8, 2026, A 8716 is recorded as "Introduced": it has been introduced and is waiting for its first committee hearing or floor vote. The last recorded action, on January 7, 2026, was "referred to governmental operations".
- Did A 8716 pass?
- Not yet. A 8716 has been introduced and has not passed either house.
- Who wrote A 8716, and where is it now?
- A 8716 was authored by Asm. Angelo Santabarbara. Its committee of record is Assembly Governmental Operations.
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions2 total · showing 2
| Jan. 07, 2026 | referred to governmental operations |
| Jun. 02, 2025 | referred to governmental operations |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, June 2, 2025 · 362 words
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8716 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY June 2, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to enacting the "autism data privacy protection act" The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as 2 the "autism data privacy protection act". 3 § 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 170-j to 4 read as follows: 5 § 170-j. Privacy protections for individuals with autism. 1. Every 6 state agency, board, department, commission, political subdivision, 7 grantee or contractor shall be prohibited from collecting or disclosing 8 personally identifiable autism-related information of a person without 9 the informed, written consent of such person. 10 2. Notwithstanding subdivision one of this section, no state agency, 11 board, department, commission, political subdivision, grantee or 12 contractor shall be found to be in violation of this section when 13 providing such autism-related information in response to court orders, 14 service delivery needs or lawful mandates and such state agency, board, 15 department, commission, political subdivision, grantee or contractor 16 takes steps to limit and anonymize its data. 17 3. Whenever it appears to the attorney general, either upon complaint 18 or otherwise, that any person's autism-related information was disclosed 19 in violation of this section, the attorney general may bring an action 20 or special proceeding in the name and on behalf of the people of the 21 state of New York to enjoin any violation of this section and/or to 22 obtain civil penalties of not more than two thousand five hundred 23 dollars per violation. For the purposes of this subdivision, each person 24 whose autism-related information was unlawfully disclosed shall be 25 considered a separate violation. 26 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD13184-01-5
Text of A 8716 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions