S 3715: Requires providers of residential services to developmentally disabled children to have surveillance cameras in the common areas of their residential facilities.
The proposed law requires the installation of surveillance cameras with sound capability in public common areas of group homes, residential and day schools, and programs that provide services for children or adults with mental or physical disabilities. These areas include common living areas, dining areas, hallways, classrooms, and time-out rooms. The law also applies to facilities operated by the Office of Children and Family Services that provide residential care to youth. For children with mental disabilities, surveillance cameras can be placed in their rooms at the request of and with the consent of the child's parent or guardian, as long as the child is in a single occupancy bedroom. Providers that fail to implement the provisions of the law are subject to a daily fine of $1,000 for noncompliance. The law takes effect one year after it becomes a law.
| Jan. 07, 2026 | REFERRED TO MENTAL HEALTH |
| Jan. 29, 2025 | REFERRED TO MENTAL HEALTH |
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 3715 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 29, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sens. LANZA, GALLIVAN, MATTERA, MURRAY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to duties of provid- ers of services for the developmentally disabled The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section 2 16.39 to read as follows: 3 § 16.39 Surveillance cameras. 4 (a) (i) Surveillance cameras with sound capability shall be installed 5 in all public common areas including, but not limited to, all common 6 living areas, dining areas, hallways, classrooms and time-out rooms in 7 all group homes, residential and day schools and programs licensed, 8 certified, funded or operated by the office which provide services for 9 children or adults with mental or physical disabilities. 10 (ii) All public common areas including, but not limited to, all common 11 living areas, dining areas, hallways, classrooms and time-out rooms of a 12 facility providing residential care to youth which is operated, licensed 13 or certified by the office of children and family services, or which is 14 subject to the supervision of such office shall be equipped with 15 surveillance cameras with sound capability. 16 (b) In all residential facilities statewide, for children with mental 17 disabilities certified, licensed, funded or operated by the office, 18 surveillance cameras may be placed in a child's, age thirteen or young- 19 er, room at the request of and with the consent of the child's parent or 20 guardian and only if the child is in a single occupancy bedroom. 21 (c) Any provider that fails to implement the provisions of this 22 section shall be subjected to a fine of one thousand dollars per day of 23 noncompliances. 24 § 2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a 25 law. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD05582-01-5