Source: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/s6427/amendment/a
Timestamp: 2020-07-11 18:42:28
Document Index: 2662891

Matched Legal Cases: ['§412', '§651', '§ 2', '§  651', '§ 3', '§ 4', '§  5', '§ 6', '§  7', '§ 8', '§  9', '§  10', '§  11', '§ 12', '§ 13', '§ 14', '§ 15', '§ 16', '§  2', '§ 651', '§ 7', '§  8', '§ 10', '§ 11', '§ 12', '§ 13']

NY State Senate Bill S6427A
senate Bill S6427A
Get Status Alerts for S6427A
Dec 13, 2019 vetoed memo.232
ordered to third reading rules cal.608
substituted for a8060a
ordered to third reading cal.1531
Jun 14, 2019 print number 6427a
Jun 14, 2019 amend and recommit to rules
Amd §§412, 421, 422 & 424-a, Soc Serv L; amd §§651-a & 1051, Fam Ct Act
Relates to the standards of proof for unfounded and indicated reports of abuse or maltreatment and the admissibility of reports of child abuse and maltreatment and requires a fair preponderance of evidence of the alleged report; relates to the administration of the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment; makes related provisions.
BILL NUMBER: S6427
to the standard of proof for unfounded and indicated reports of abuse or
maltreatment and the admissibility of reports of child abuse and
maltreatment; and to amend the social services law and the family court
act, in relation to the administration of the statewide central register
This bill would make certain changes to State Central Registry as it
relates to sealing of maltreatment records and standard of proof to
determine indicated and unfounded reports of abuse or maltreatment. This
bill also updates fair hearing rights as it relates to employment for
subjects of maltreatment reports.
Section 1 of the bill updates definitions of unfounded and indicated
reports, changing the investigative standard of review from "some credi-
ble evidence" to "fair preponderance of evidence."
Section 2 amends section 651-a of the family court act requiring a fair
preponderance of the evidence standard to determine a finding of abuse
Sections 3, 4, and 5 make conforming changes to of Social Services Law
changing the standard of review from "some credible evidence" to "fair
preponderance of the evidence."
Section 6 allows SCR reports of indicated maltreatment cases be condi-
tionally sealed after eight years so long as there are no subsequent
indicated reports of abuse or maltreatment. Reports may be immediately
unsealed if there is a subsequent finding of abuse or maltreatment.
Reports will be maintained by the SCR but will not be disclosed to
employers with certain exceptions for employment requiring significant
and substantial contact with children.
Section 7 eliminates specified timeframe for amending report; if pending
CPS proceeding on same allegations, request to amend stayed until Family
Court disposition of the proceeding or if petition dismissed at conclu-
sion of ACD or suspended judgment, whichever is later.
Section 8 requires OCFS to amend allegation as unfounded when CPS with-
draws with prejudice an allegation in a petition, Family Court finds
allegation does not constitute abuse or maltreatment, or petition
dismissed at conclusion of ACD or suspended judgment, or not supported
by a fair preponderance of evidence.
Section 9 makes conforming changes updating the standard of evidence.
Section 10 makes conforming changes updating the language of "depart-
ment" to "Office of Children and Family Services."
Section 11 makes changes to the fair hearing rights relating to denial
of employment based SCR reports. Conforming changes are made to update
the standard of review for SCR fair hearings to comport with modern
Section 12 requires the petitioner to notify OCFS regarding the outcome
of an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal.
Section 13 requires the petitioner to notify OCFS of any findings of
abuse or neglect or orders of dismissal.
Section 14 requires maltreatment reports to be conditionally sealed
Section 15 requires the petitioner to notify OCFS regarding the outcome
of a suspended judgement.
Section 16 provides an effective date.
The vast majority of allegations made to the SCR involve poverty-related
neglect and not child abuse. Common allegations of neglect include lack
of adequate housing, failure to provide adequate childcare, failure to
provide adequate education, and parental substance abuse. Under current
law, there is.no distinction in the employment consequences imposed for
poverty-related neglect from the employment consequences for caregivers
who have committed the most egregious types of physical and sexual
This legislation 'makes necessary conforming changes in line with
constitutional requirements regarding the standard of review from " some
credible evidence" to "preponderance of the evidence." Doyle v.  Camelot
Care Ctrs., Inc., 160 F. Supp. 2d 891: Similarly, the New York statutory
scheme at issue in Valmonte v. Bane, 18 F.3d 992, 1004 (2nd Cir. 1994),
directed that the names of persons indicated of abuse under merely a
"credible evidence" standard be placed on the State Central Register.
The Second Circuit concluded that practice a violated those individuals'
right to due process. Instead, the court found that individuals should
be placed on such a list only after they had been found guilty of abuse
by a "preponderance of the evidence."  Id. In Lee TT, 87 N.Y.2d at 700,
the Court of Appeals of New York, following the Second Circuit, found
that, while there is no constitutional prohibition against the State
maintaining a list of suspected
**47 abusers, the use of the "credible evidence" standard to substanti-
ate reports that are put on the State Central Register violates the
protected liberty interest plaintiffs had in their present and future
employment in the child care field. The court therefore held that the
credible evidence standard is permissible at the investigative stage,
but a report of abuse must be substantiated by a preponderance of the
evidence before information concerning the subject may be disseminated
to employers in child care agencies. Id. at 703, 711.
New York is overdue to update antiquated Social Services Law to limit
collateral consequences for parents, streamline court processes to make
the system more efficient and fair. Many employers are required to do
SCR background checks before hiring. These include not only childcare
and educational providers, but a variety of entities providing services
such as healthcare and transportation if they serve children as well as
adults. Consequently, an indicated report on the SCR severely limits a
person's ability to secure employment.  This bill supports increased
access to employment for thousands of New York families every year at
limited cost to the state.
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to the standard  of
proof for unfounded and indicated reports of abuse or maltreatment and
the  admissibility  of reports of child abuse and maltreatment; and to
amend the social services law and the family court act, in relation to
the administration of the statewide central register  of  child  abuse
Section 1. Subdivisions 6 and 7 of section 412 of the social  services
law,  as  added by chapter 1039 of the laws of 1973 and as renumbered by
chapter 323 of the laws of 2008, are amended to read as follows:
6. An "unfounded report" means any report made pursuant to this  title
unless  an investigation determines that [some credible evidence] A FAIR
PREPONDERANCE OF EVIDENCE of the alleged abuse or maltreatment exists;
7. An "indicated report" means a report made pursuant to this title if
an investigation determines that [some credible evidence] A FAIR PREPON-
DERANCE OF EVIDENCE of the alleged abuse or maltreatment exists.
§ 2. Section 651-a of the family court act, as amended by  chapter  12
§  651-a.  Reports  of child abuse and maltreatment; admissibility. In
the social services law, or a portion thereof, which is otherwise admis-
sible as a business record pursuant to rule forty-five hundred  eighteen
of the civil practice law and rules shall not be admissible in evidence,
notwithstanding  such  rule,  unless  an  investigation  of  such report
conducted pursuant to title six of article six of  the  social  services
law has determined that there is [some credible] A FAIR PREPONDERANCE OF
LBD13104-01-9
evidence  of  the alleged abuse or maltreatment, that the subject of the
report has been notified that the report is indicated. In  addition,  if
such  report  has  been  reviewed  by  the  state commissioner of social
services  or  his  designee  and has been determined to be unfounded, it
shall not be admissible in evidence. If such report has been so reviewed
and has been amended to delete any finding, each  such  deleted  finding
shall not be admissible. If the state commissioner of social services or
his  designee  has  amended the report to add any new finding, each such
new finding, together with  any  portion  of  the  original  report  not
deleted  by  the commissioner or his designee, shall be admissible if it
meets the other requirements of this section and is otherwise admissible
as a business record. If such a report, or portion thereof, is  admissi-
ble  in  evidence  but  is uncorroborated, it shall not be sufficient to
make a fact finding of abuse or maltreatment  in  such  proceeding.  Any
other  evidence  tending to support the reliability of such report shall
be sufficient corroboration.
§ 3. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 2  of  section  421  of  the  social
services  law, as amended by chapter 718 of the laws of 1986, is amended
(c) issue guidelines to assist local child protective services in  the
interpretation  and assessment of reports of abuse and maltreatment made
to the statewide central register  described  in  section  four  hundred
twenty-two  of  this article. Such guidelines shall include information,
standards and criteria for the identification of [credible] FAIR PREPON-
DERANCE OF evidence of alleged abuse and maltreatment required to deter-
mine whether a report may be indicated.
§ 4. The opening paragraph  of  paragraph  (a)  of  subdivision  5  of
section  422 of the social services law, as amended by section 7 of part
D of chapter 501 of the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
Unless an investigation of a report conducted pursuant to  this  title
determines  that  there  is  [some  credible]  A  FAIR  PREPONDERANCE OF
ing the subjects of the report and other persons  named  in  the  report
shall  be legally sealed forthwith by the central register and any local
child protective services or the state  agency  which  investigated  the
report. Such unfounded reports may only be unsealed and made available:
§  5.  Paragraph  (c)  of  subdivision  5 of section 422 of the social
services law, as added by chapter 555 of the laws of 2000, is amended to
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the office of children
and family services may, in its discretion, grant a request  to  expunge
an unfounded report where: (i) the source of the report was convicted of
a  violation  of subdivision three of section 240.55 of the penal law in
regard to such report; or (ii) the subject of the report presents  clear
abuse or maltreatment; provided however, that the absence of  [credible]
A  FAIR  PREPONDERANCE OF evidence supporting the allegation of abuse or
maltreatment shall not be the sole basis to expunge the report.  Nothing
in  this  paragraph  shall  require  the  office  of children and family
services to hold  an  administrative  hearing  in  deciding  whether  to
expunge  a report. Such office shall make its determination upon review-
ing the written evidence submitted by the subject of the report and  any
records  or  information  obtained  from the state or local agency which
investigated the allegations of abuse or maltreatment.
§ 6. Subdivision 6 of section 422  of  the  social  services  law,  as
amended  by  section  7 of part D of chapter 501 of the laws of 2012, is
6.  In  all  other  cases,  the  record of the report to the statewide
central register shall be expunged ten years after the eighteenth birth-
day of the youngest child named in  the  report.  PROVIDED  HOWEVER,  IN
CASES WHERE THE REPORT WAS INDICATED FOR MALTREATMENT, THE RECORD OF THE
REPORT  TO  THE STATEWIDE CENTRAL REGISTER SHALL BE CONDITIONALLY SEALED
EIGHT YEARS AFTER THE REPORT IS RECEIVED BY THE STATEWIDE CENTRAL REGIS-
TER, SO LONG AS THERE  ARE  NO  OTHER  INDICATED  REPORTS  OF  ABUSE  OR
MALTREATMENT  WITH  SUCH  INDIVIDUAL NAMED AS THE SUBJECT OF THE REPORT.
PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT IF SUCH INDIVIDUAL IS NAMED AS THE SUBJECT OF  A
REPORT  IN  ANY SUBSEQUENT INDICATED ABUSE OR MALTREATMENT REPORTS, SUCH
RECORD SHALL  BE  IMMEDIATELY  UNSEALED.  REPORTS  CONDITIONALLY  SEALED
PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SUBDIVISION  SHALL  BE  MAINTAINED  IN THE STATEWIDE
CENTRAL REGISTER, HOWEVER SUCH  REPORTS  SHALL  NOT  BE  MADE  AVAILABLE
EXCEPT  TO:  (A)  ENTITIES INCLUDED IN SUBDIVISION FIVE OF THIS SECTION;
(B) HEAD START PROGRAMS WHICH ARE FUNDED PURSUANT  TO  TITLE  V  OF  THE
FEDERAL  ECONOMIC  OPPORTUNITY  ACT OF 1964, EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES
ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED FORTY OF THE  PUBLIC
HEALTH  LAW,  PRESCHOOL  SERVICES ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION FORTY-
FOUR HUNDRED TEN OF THE EDUCATION  LAW,  CHILD  DAY  CARE  PROVIDERS  AS
DEFINED  IN SECTION THREE HUNDRED NINETY OF THIS ARTICLE FOR PURPOSES OF
DETERMINING EMPLOYMENT; (C) AUTHORIZED  AGENCIES  THAT  ARE  CONSIDERING
LICENSING  THE  SUBJECT  OF  THE  REPORT  TO BECOME A FOSTER OR ADOPTIVE
PARENT; AND (D) CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES THAT  ARE  CONSIDERING  RECOM-
MENDING THE SUBJECT OF THE REPORT AS A CUSTODIAL OR VISITATION RESOURCE.
In  the  case of a child in residential care the record of the report to
the statewide central register shall be expunged  ten  years  after  the
reported  child's  eighteenth birthday. In any case and at any time, the
commissioner of the office of children and family services may amend any
record upon good cause shown and notice to the subjects  of  the  report
and other persons named in the report.
§  7.  Paragraph  (a)  of  subdivision  8 of section 422 of the social
services law, as amended by chapter 12 of the laws of 1996, and subpara-
graph (ii) as amended by chapter 323 of the laws of 2008, is amended  to
(a)  (i) At any time subsequent to the completion of the investigation
[but in no event later than ninety days after the subject of the  report
is  notified  that  the report is indicated] the subject may request the
commissioner to amend the record of the report.  [If] WHERE A PROCEEDING
PURSUANT TO ARTICLE TEN OF THE FAMILY COURT ACT BASED ON THE SAME  ALLE-
GATIONS  THAT  WERE  INDICATED IS PENDING, THE REQUEST TO AMEND SHALL BE
STAYED UNTIL THE DISPOSITION OF SUCH FAMILY COURT PROCEEDING OR, IF  THE
PETITION  IS  DISMISSED  AT  THE CONCLUSION OF AN ADJOURNMENT IN CONTEM-
PLATION OF DISMISSAL OR SUSPENSED JUDGMENT, AT SUCH TIME OF THE DISMISS-
AL, WHICHEVER IS LATER. UNLESS SUCH REQUEST  HAS  BEEN  STAYED,  IF  the
commissioner  does  not amend the report in accordance with such request
within ninety days of receiving the request, the subject shall have  the
right  to  a fair hearing, held in accordance with paragraph (b) of this
subdivision, to determine whether  the  record  of  the  report  in  the
central  register should be amended on the grounds that it is inaccurate
or it is being maintained in a manner inconsistent with this title.
(ii) Upon receipt of a request to amend the record of  a  child  abuse
and maltreatment report the office of children and family services shall
immediately  send  a  written request to the child protective service or
the state agency which was responsible for investigating the allegations
of abuse or maltreatment for all records, reports and other  information
maintained  by  the service or state agency pertaining to such indicated
report.  The  service or state agency shall as expeditiously as possible
but within no more than twenty working days of receiving  such  request,
forward  all records, reports and other information it maintains on such
indicated report to the office of children and family services,  INCLUD-
ING  A COPY OF ANY PETITION OR COURT ORDER BASED ON THE ALLEGATIONS THAT
WERE INDICATED. [The] UNLESS SUCH REQUEST TO AMEND HAS BEEN STAYED,  THE
office  of children and family services shall as expeditiously as possi-
ble but within no more than fifteen working days of receiving such mate-
rials from the child protective service or state agency, review all such
materials in its possession concerning the indicated report  and  deter-
mine, after affording such service or state agency a reasonable opportu-
nity  to present its views, whether there is a fair preponderance of the
evidence to find that the subject committed the act  or  acts  of  child
abuse  or  maltreatment giving rise to the indicated report and whether,
based on guidelines developed by  the  office  of  children  and  family
services  pursuant  to  subdivision five of section four hundred twenty-
four-a of this title, such act or acts could be relevant and  reasonably
related to employment of the subject of the report by a provider agency,
as defined by subdivision three of section four hundred twenty-four-a of
this  title,  or  relevant  and reasonably related to the subject of the
report being allowed to have regular and substantial contact with  chil-
dren  who are cared for by a provider agency, or relevant and reasonably
related to the approval or disapproval of an  application  submitted  by
the  subject of the report to a licensing agency, as defined by subdivi-
sion four of section four hundred twenty-four-a of this title.
(iii) If it is determined at the review held pursuant  to  this  para-
graph  [(a)]  that  there  is  [no credible] NOT A FAIR PREPONDERANCE OF
of child abuse or maltreatment, the [department] OFFICE OF CHILDREN  AND
FAMILY  SERVICES  shall  amend the record to indicate that the report is
"unfounded" and notify the subject forthwith.
(iv) If it is determined at the review held pursuant to this paragraph
[(a)] that there is [some credible] A FAIR PREPONDERANCE OF evidence  in
the  record to find that the subject committed such act or acts but that
such act or acts could not be relevant and  reasonably  related  to  the
employment  of  the subject by a provider agency or to the subject being
allowed to have regular and substantial contact with  children  who  are
cared  for  by  a  provider  agency or the approval or disapproval of an
application which could be submitted by the subject to a licensing agen-
cy, the [department] OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND  FAMILY  SERVICES  shall  be
precluded  from  informing a provider or licensing agency which makes an
inquiry to [the department] SUCH OFFICE pursuant to  the  provisions  of
section  four hundred twenty-four-a of this title concerning the subject
that the person about whom the inquiry is made  is  the  subject  of  an
indicated report of child abuse or maltreatment. The [department] OFFICE
OF  CHILDREN  AND  FAMILY SERVICES shall notify forthwith the subject of
the report of such determinations and that a fair hearing has been sche-
duled pursuant to paragraph (b) of this subdivision. The sole  issue  at
such hearing shall be whether the subject has been shown by [some credi-
ble]  A FAIR PREPONDERANCE OF evidence to have committed the act or acts
of child abuse or maltreatment giving rise to the indicated report.
(v) If it is determined at the review held pursuant to this  paragraph
[(a)]  that there is [some credible] A FAIR PREPONDERANCE OF evidence in
the record to prove that the subject committed an act or acts  of  child
abuse  or  maltreatment  and that such act or acts could be relevant and
reasonably related to the employment of the subject by a provider agency
or  to the subject being allowed to have regular and substantial contact
with children cared for by a provider agency or the approval  or  disap-
proval  of  an  application which could be submitted by the subject to a
licensing  agency,  the  [department]  OFFICE  OF  CHILDREN  AND  FAMILY
SERVICES shall notify forthwith the subject of the report of such deter-
minations  and  that a fair hearing has been scheduled pursuant to para-
§ 8. Subparagraphs (i) and (ii) of paragraph (b) of subdivision  8  of
section  422 of the social services law, as amended by chapter 12 of the
(i) If the [department] OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, [with-
in ninety days of] UPON receiving a request from the  subject  that  the
record  of  a report be amended, does not amend the record in accordance
with such request, [the department] SUCH OFFICE shall  schedule  a  fair
hearing  and  shall  provide notice of the scheduled hearing date to the
subject, the statewide central register  and,  as  appropriate,  to  the
child  protective  service  or  the  state agency which investigated the
(ii) The burden of proof in such a  hearing  shall  be  on  the  child
protective service or the state agency which investigated the report, as
the  case  may  be.  In  such a hearing, the fact that there is a family
court finding of abuse or neglect against the subject in  regard  to  an
allegation contained in the report shall create an irrebuttable presump-
tion  that  said  allegation  is substantiated by [some credible] A FAIR
PREPONDERANCE OF evidence.  WHERE THE PETITIONING CHILD PROTECTIVE AGEN-
CY WITHDRAWS WITH PREJUDICE AN ALLEGATION IN A  PETITION,  OR  A  FAMILY
COURT  FINDS  ON THE MERITS THAT AN ALLEGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE ABUSE
OR NEGLECT OR A PETITION HAS BEEN DISMISSED AT THE CONCLUSION OF  EITHER
AN  ADJOURNMENT  IN CONTEMPLATION OF DISMISSAL OR SUSPENDED JUDGMENT, OR
WAS NOT SUPPORTED BY A FAIR PREPONDERANCE OF THE EVIDENCE, THE OFFICE OF
CHILDREN  AND  FAMILY  SERVICES  SHALL  AMEND  SUCH  ALLEGATION  TO   BE
§  9.  Subparagraphs (i) and (ii) of paragraph (c) of subdivision 8 of
section 422 of the social services law, as amended by chapter 12 of  the
laws  of 1996, and the opening paragraph of subparagraph (ii) as amended
by chapter 323 of the laws of 2008, are amended to read as follows:
(i) If it is determined at the fair hearing that there is  [no  credi-
ble] NOT A FAIR PREPONDERANCE OF evidence in the record to find that the
subject  committed  an  act  or acts of child abuse or maltreatment, the
[department] OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND  FAMILY  SERVICES  shall  amend  the
record  to  reflect  that  such a finding was made at the administrative
hearing, order any child protective service or state agency which inves-
tigated the report to similarly amend its records  of  the  report,  and
shall notify the subject forthwith of the determination.
(ii)  Upon  a  determination  made at a fair hearing [held on or after
January first, nineteen hundred eighty-six] scheduled  pursuant  to  the
provisions of subparagraph (v) of paragraph (a) of this subdivision that
the  subject  has  been shown by a fair preponderance of the evidence to
have committed the act or acts of child  abuse  or  maltreatment  giving
rise to the indicated report, the hearing officer shall determine, based
on  guidelines  developed  by the office of children and family services
pursuant to subdivision five of section four  hundred  twenty-four-a  of
this title, whether such act or acts are relevant and reasonably related
S. 6427                             6
to  employment of the subject by a provider agency, as defined by subdi-
vision three of section four hundred twenty-four-a  of  this  title,  or
relevant  and  reasonably  related  to the subject being allowed to have
regular  and  substantial  contact  with children who are cared for by a
provider agency or relevant and reasonably related to  the  approval  or
disapproval  of  an  application submitted by the subject to a licensing
agency, as defined by subdivision four of section four  hundred  twenty-
four-a of this title.
Upon  a  determination  made at a fair hearing that the act or acts of
abuse or maltreatment are relevant and reasonably related to  employment
of the subject by a provider agency or the subject being allowed to have
provider agency or the approval or denial of an application submitted by
the subject to a licensing agency, the [department] OFFICE  OF  CHILDREN
AND FAMILY SERVICES shall notify the subject forthwith. The [department]
OFFICE  OF  CHILDREN  AND  FAMILY  SERVICES  shall  inform a provider or
licensing agency which makes an inquiry to [the department] SUCH  OFFICE
pursuant to the provisions of section four hundred twenty-four-a of this
title  concerning  the subject that the person about whom the inquiry is
made is the subject of an indicated child abuse or maltreatment report.
The failure to determine at the fair hearing that the act or  acts  of
abuse  and  maltreatment  are  relevant  and  reasonably  related to the
employment of the subject by a provider agency or to the  subject  being
allowed  to  have  regular and substantial contact with children who are
cared for by a provider agency or the approval or denial of an  applica-
tion  submitted  by the subject to a licensing agency shall preclude the
[department] OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY  SERVICES  from  informing  a
provider  or licensing agency which makes an inquiry to [the department]
SUCH OFFICE pursuant to the provisions of section four  hundred  twenty-
four-a  of  this title concerning the subject that the person about whom
the inquiry is made is the  subject  of  an  indicated  child  abuse  or
§  10.  Paragraph  (e)  of  subdivision 8 of section 422 of the social
services law, as added by chapter 12 of the laws of 1996, is amended  to
(e)  Should  the  [department]  OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES
grant the request of the subject of the report pursuant to this subdivi-
sion either through an administrative review or fair hearing to amend an
indicated report to an unfounded report[. Such], SUCH  report  shall  be
legally sealed and shall be released and expunged in accordance with the
standards set forth in subdivision five of this section.
§  11. Subparagraphs (ii), (iii), and (v) of paragraph (e) of subdivi-
sion 1 of section 424-a of the social services law,  subparagraphs  (ii)
and (iii) as amended by chapter 12 of the laws of 1996, and subparagraph
(v)  as  amended by chapter 634 of the laws of 1988, are amended and six
new subparagraphs (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x) and (xi) are  added  to
(ii) If the subject of an indicated report of child abuse or maltreat-
ment  has not requested an amendment of the record of the report [within
the time specified in subdivision eight of section four hundred  twenty-
two  of this title or if the subject had a fair hearing pursuant to such
section prior to January first,  nineteen  hundred  eighty-six]  and  an
inquiry  is  made  to  the  [department]  OFFICE  OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY
SERVICES pursuant to this subdivision  concerning  the  subject  of  the
report, [the department] SUCH OFFICE shall, as expeditiously as possible
but  within  no  more  than  ten working days of receipt of the inquiry,
S. 6427                             7
determine whether, in fact, the person about whom an inquiry is made  is
the subject of an indicated report. Upon making a determination that the
person  about  whom  the  inquiry is made is the subject of an indicated
report of child abuse and maltreatment, the [department] OFFICE OF CHIL-
DREN AND FAMILY SERVICES shall immediately send a written request to the
child  protective  service  or  state  agency  which was responsible for
investigating the allegations of abuse or maltreatment for all  records,
reports  and other information maintained by the service or state agency
on the subject. The service or state agency shall, as  expeditiously  as
possible  but  within no more than twenty working days of receiving such
request, forward all records, reports and other information it maintains
on the indicated report to the [department] OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMI-
LY SERVICES, INCLUDING A COPY OF ANY PETITION OR COURT  ORDER  BASED  ON
THE  ALLEGATIONS THAT WERE INDICATED.  [The department] WHERE A PROCEED-
ING PURSUANT TO ARTICLE TEN OF THE FAMILY COURT ACT IS PENDING BASED  ON
THE  SAME  ALLEGATIONS  THAT  WERE INDICATED, THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND
FAMILY SERVICES SHALL DEFER DETERMINATION OF WHETHER  THERE  IS  A  FAIR
PREPONDERANCE OF THE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE INDICATION UNTIL THE DISPO-
SITION  OF  SUCH FAMILY COURT PROCEEDING OR IF THE PETITION IS DISMISSED
AT THE CONCLUSION OF AN ADJOURNMENT IN  CONTEMPLATION  OF  DISMISSAL  OR
SUSPENDED  JUDGMENT,  AT SUCH TIME OF THE DISMISSAL, WHICHEVER IS LATER.
UNLESS SUCH DETERMINATION HAS BEEN DEFERRED, THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN  AND
FAMILY  SERVICES  shall,  within  fifteen working days of receiving such
records, reports and other information from the child protective service
or state agency, review all records, reports and  other  information  in
its  possession  concerning  the  subject and determine whether there is
[some credible] A FAIR  PREPONDERANCE  OF  evidence  to  find  that  the
subject  had  committed  the  act or acts of child abuse or maltreatment
giving rise to the indicated report.
(iii) If it is determined, after affording such service or state agen-
cy a reasonable opportunity to present its  views,  that  there  is  [no
credible]  NOT  A  FAIR  PREPONDERANCE OF evidence in the record to find
that the subject committed such act or acts, the [department] OFFICE  OF
CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES shall amend the record to indicate that the
report  was  unfounded  and  notify  the inquiring party that the person
about whom the inquiry is made  is  not  the  subject  of  an  indicated
report.  [If  the  subject  of the report had a fair hearing pursuant to
subdivision eight of section four hundred twenty-two of this title prior
to January first, nineteen hundred eighty-six and the fair  hearing  had
been finally determined by the commissioner and the record of the report
had  not  been  amended  to unfound the report or delete the person as a
subject of the report, then the department shall determine that there is
some credible evidence to find that the subject had committed the act or
acts of child  abuse  or  maltreatment  giving  rise  to  the  indicated
(v)  If  it is determined after a review by the [department] OFFICE OF
CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES of all records, reports and information  in
its  possession concerning the subject of the report that there is [some
credible] A FAIR PREPONDERANCE OF evidence to  prove  that  the  subject
committed  the  act  or acts of abuse or maltreatment giving rise to the
indicated report [and that such act or acts are relevant and  reasonably
related to issues concerning the employment of the subject by a provider
agency  or  to the subject being allowed to have regular and substantial
contact with children cared for by a provider agency or the approval  or
disapproval of an application which has been submitted by the subject to
a licensing agency, the department shall inform the inquiring party that
S. 6427                             8
the person about whom the inquiry is made is the subject of an indicated
report of child abuse and maltreatment; the department shall also notify
the  subject  of  the  inquiry of his or her fair hearing rights granted
pursuant  to  paragraph  (c)  of  subdivision  two of this section], THE
OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES SHALL NOTIFY THE SUBJECT  OF  THE
DETERMINATION  OF  SUCH  REPORT  AND OF THE SUBJECT'S RIGHT TO REQUEST A
FAIR HEARING WITHIN NINETY DAYS. IF THE SUBJECT SHALL REQUEST A  HEARING
WITHIN  NINETY  DAYS,  THE  OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES SHALL
SCHEDULE A FAIR HEARING AND SHALL PROVIDE NOTICE OF THE SCHEDULED  HEAR-
ING  DATE  TO THE SUBJECT, THE STATEWIDE CENTRAL REGISTER AND, AS APPRO-
PRIATE, TO THE CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICE OR STATE AGENCY  WHICH  INVESTI-
GATED SUCH REPORT.
(VI)  THE  BURDEN  OF  PROOF  IN  SUCH A HEARING SHALL BE ON THE CHILD
PROTECTIVE SERVICE OR STATE AGENCY WHICH  INVESTIGATED  THE  REPORT.  IN
SUCH  A  HEARING, THE FACT THAT THERE IS A FAMILY COURT FINDING OF ABUSE
OR NEGLECT AGAINST THE SUBJECT IN REGARD TO AN ALLEGATION  CONTAINED  IN
SUCH  REPORT  SHALL CREATE AN IRREBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION THAT SAID ALLEGA-
TION IS SUBSTANTIATED BY A FAIR PREPONDERANCE  OF  EVIDENCE.  WHERE  THE
PETITIONING  CHILD PROTECTIVE AGENCY WITHDRAWS WITH PREJUDICE AN ALLEGA-
TION IN A PETITION, OR A FAMILY COURT FINDS ON THE MERITS THAT AN  ALLE-
GATION  DOES  NOT  CONSTITUTE  ABUSE  OR  NEGLECT OR A PETITION HAS BEEN
DISMISSED AT THE CONCLUSION OF EITHER AN ADJOURNMENT IN CONTEMPLATION OF
A DISMISSAL OR SUSPENDED JUDGMENT,  OR  WAS  NOT  SUPPORTED  BY  A  FAIR
PREPONDERANCE  OF  THE  EVIDENCE,  THE  OFFICE  OF  CHILDREN  AND FAMILY
SERVICES SHALL AMEND THAT ALLEGATION TO BE UNFOUNDED.
(VII) IF IT SHALL BE DETERMINED AT THE FAIR HEARING THAT THERE  IS  NO
FAIR  PREPONDERANCE  OF  EVIDENCE IN THE RECORD TO FIND THAT THE SUBJECT
COMMITTED AN ACT OR ACTS OF CHILD ABUSE OR MALTREATMENT, THE  OFFICE  OF
CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES SHALL AMEND THE RECORD TO REFLECT THAT SUCH
A  FINDING  WAS  MADE  AT  THE  ADMINISTRATIVE  HEARING, ORDER ANY CHILD
PROTECTIVE SERVICE OR STATE AGENCY  WHICH  INVESTIGATED  THE  REPORT  TO
SIMILARLY  AMEND  ITS  RECORDS OF SUCH REPORT, NOTIFY THE SUBJECT OF THE
DETERMINATION, AND NOTIFY THE INQUIRING PARTY THAT THE PERSON ABOUT WHOM
SUCH INQUIRY WAS MADE IS NOT THE SUBJECT OF AN INDICATED REPORT.
(VIII) UPON A DETERMINATION AT THE FAIR HEARING THAT THE  SUBJECT  HAS
BEEN  SHOWN,  BY A FAIR PREPONDERANCE OF THE EVIDENCE, TO HAVE COMMITTED
THE ACT OR ACTS OF CHILD ABUSE OR MALTREATMENT GIVING RISE TO THE  INDI-
CATED  REPORT,  THE HEARING OFFICER SHALL DETERMINE, BASED ON GUIDELINES
DEVELOPED BY THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN  AND  FAMILY  SERVICES  PURSUANT  TO
SUBDIVISION  FIVE OF THIS SECTION, WHETHER SUCH ACT OR ACTS ARE RELEVANT
AND REASONABLY RELATED TO THE SUBJECT BEING ALLOWED TO HAVE REGULAR  AND
SUBSTANTIAL  CONTACT WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE CARED FOR BY A PROVIDER AGEN-
CY, OR RELEVANT AND REASONABLY RELATED TO THE APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF
AN APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY THE SUBJECT TO A LICENSING AGENCY.
(IX) UPON A DETERMINATION MADE AT A FAIR HEARING THAT THE ACT OR  ACTS
OF  ABUSE  OR  MALTREATMENT  ARE  RELEVANT AND REASONABLY RELATED TO THE
EMPLOYMENT OF THE SUBJECT  BY  A  PROVIDER  AGENCY,  THE  SUBJECT  BEING
TION SUBMITTED BY THE SUBJECT TO A LICENSING AGENCY, THE OFFICE OF CHIL-
DREN  AND  FAMILY SERVICES SHALL NOTIFY THE SUBJECT AND SHALL INFORM THE
INQUIRING PARTY THAT THE PERSON ABOUT WHOM SUCH INQUIRY WAS MADE IS  THE
SUBJECT OF AN INDICATED REPORT OF CHILD ABUSE OR MALTREATMENT.
(X)  THE FAILURE TO DETERMINE AT THE FAIR HEARING THAT THE ACT OR ACTS
OF ABUSE AND MALTREATMENT ARE RELEVANT AND  REASONABLY  RELATED  TO  THE
EMPLOYMENT  OF  THE  SUBJECT  BY  A  PROVIDER  AGENCY, THE SUBJECT BEING
S. 6427                             9
CARED  FOR BY A PROVIDER AGENCY OR THE APPROVAL OR DENIAL OF AN APPLICA-
TION SUBMITTED BY THE SUBJECT TO A LICENSING AGENCY SHALL  PRECLUDE  THE
OFFICE  OF  CHILDREN  AND  FAMILY  SERVICES FROM INFORMING A PROVIDER OR
LICENSING AGENCY THAT SUCH PERSON IS THE SUBJECT OF AN INDICATED  REPORT
OF CHILD ABUSE OR MALTREATMENT.
(XI)  SHOULD  THE  OFFICE  OF  CHILDREN  AND FAMILY SERVICES GRANT THE
REQUEST OF THE SUBJECT OF  THE  REPORT  PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SUBDIVISION,
EITHER  THROUGH  AN  ADMINISTRATIVE  REVIEW OR FAIR HEARING, TO AMEND AN
INDICATED REPORT TO AN UNFOUNDED REPORT, SUCH REPORT  SHALL  BE  LEGALLY
SEALED  AND SHALL BE RELEASED AND EXPUNGED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STAND-
ARDS SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION FIVE OF SECTION FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO OF
§ 12. Section 1039 of the family court act is amended by adding a  new
(H)  THE  PETITIONER  SHALL  NOTIFY  THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY
SERVICES, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTIONS FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO  AND  FOUR
HUNDRED  TWENTY-FOUR-A  OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW, OF THE OUTCOME OF AN
ADJOURNMENT IN CONTEMPLATION OF  DISMISSAL  PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SECTION,
INCLUDING  DISMISSAL OF THE PETITION UPON EXPIRATION OF SUCH ADJOURNMENT
OR, WHERE THE PROCEEDING HAS BEEN  RESTORED  TO  THE  CALENDAR,  OF  THE
STATUS  AND  DISPOSITION OF ANY PROCEEDINGS UNDER THIS ARTICLE FOLLOWING
SUCH RESTORATION.
§ 13. Section 1051 of the family court act is amended by adding a  new
(G)  THE  PETITIONER  SHALL  NOTIFY  THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY
HUNDRED  TWENTY-FOUR-A  OF  THE  SOCIAL SERVICES LAW, OF ANY FINDINGS OF
ABUSE OR NEGLECT AND OF ANY ORDERS OF DISMISSAL ENTERED PURSUANT TO THIS
§ 14. Paragraph (iii) of subdivision (f) of section 1051 of the family
court act, as added by chapter 430 of the laws of 1994,  is  amended  to
expungement of such report, THAT IF SUCH REPORT IS FOR MALTREATMENT,  IT
SHALL  BE LEGALLY CONDITIONALLY SEALED AFTER EIGHT YEARS UNLESS A DETER-
MINATION IS MADE TO SEAL IT EARLIER SO LONG AS SUCH  INDIVIDUAL  IS  NOT
NAMED  AS  THE SUBJECT OF THE REPORT IN ANY SUBSEQUENT INDICATED REPORTS
OF ABUSE OR MALTREATMENT,  and  that  the  existence  of  such  [report]
REPORTS  WHICH  ARE NOT SEALED may be made known to employers seeking to
screen employee applicants [in the field of child care,]  FOR  POSITIONS
INVOLVING  POTENTIAL  CONTACT WITH CHILDREN, AND THAT SEALED REPORTS MAY
BE AVAILABLE TO CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND LAW ENFORCEMENT CONDUCTING
SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATIONS and to [child care] AUTHORIZED agencies if the
respondent applies to become a foster parent [or],  adoptive  parent  OR
SEEKS CUSTODY OF OR VISITATION WITH A CHILD.
being  given  by the court shall be vacated upon motion of any party. In
no event shall a person other than the respondent, either in  person  or
in  writing,  make  an  admission  or consent to a finding of neglect or
§ 15. Section 1053 of the family court act is amended by adding a  new
S. 6427                            10
(D)  THE  PETITIONER  SHALL  NOTIFY  THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY
HUNDRED  TWENTY-FOUR-A  OF  THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW, OF THE OUTCOME OF A
SUSPENDED JUDGEMENT PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, INCLUDING A  DISMISSAL  OF
THE  PETITION  UPON EXPIRATION OF SUCH SUSPENDED JUDGEMENT, OR WHERE THE
PROCEEDING HAS BEEN RESTORED TO THE CALENDAR, OF THE STATUS AND DISPOSI-
TION OF ANY PROCEEDINGS UNDER THIS ARTICLE FOLLOWING SUCH RESTORATION.
§ 16. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however,  that
sections  six, eight and twelve of this act shall take effect on the one
hundred eightieth day after it shall have  become  a  law;  and  section
seven  of this act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
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Important legislation to Reform the New York State Central Register (SCR) awaits Governor Cuomo's signature.
S6427A (ACTIVE) - Details
S6427A (ACTIVE) - Summary
S6427A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo
BILL NUMBER: S6427A
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to the standard of
the admissibility of reports of child abuse and maltreatment; and to
the administration of the statewide central register of child abuse and
law, there is no distinction in the employment consequences imposed for
constitutional requirements regarding the standard of review from "some
by a "preponderance of the evidence." Id. In Lee TT, 87 N.Y.2d at 700,
maintaining a list of suspected abusers, the use of the "credible
evidence" standard to substantiate reports that are put on the State
Central Register violates the protected liberty interest plaintiffs had
in their present and future employment in the child care field. The
court therefore held that the credible evidence standard is permissible
at the investigative stage, but a report of abuse must be substantiated
by a preponderance of the evidence before information concerning the
subject may be disseminated to employers in child care agencies. Id. at
703, 711.
S6427A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf
6427--A
AN  ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to the standard of
the admissibility of reports of child abuse and maltreatment;  and  to
the  administration  of  the statewide central register of child abuse
Section  1. Subdivisions 6 and 7 of section 412 of the social services
law, as added by chapter 1039 of the laws of 1973 and as  renumbered  by
6.  An "unfounded report" means any report made pursuant to this title
unless an investigation determines that [some credible evidence] A  FAIR
§  2.  Section 651-a of the family court act, as amended by chapter 12
§ 651-a. Reports of child abuse and  maltreatment;  admissibility.  In
sible  as a business record pursuant to rule forty-five hundred eighteen
notwithstanding such  rule,  unless  an  investigation  of  such  report
LBD13104-04-9
S. 6427--A                          2
conducted  pursuant  to  title six of article six of the social services
evidence of the alleged abuse or maltreatment, that the subject  of  the
report  has  been notified that the report is indicated. In addition, if
such report has been  reviewed  by  the  state  commissioner  of  social
standards and criteria for [the identification  of  credible]  ASSESSING
WHETHER  A FAIR PREPONDERANCE OF evidence of alleged abuse and maltreat-
ment EXISTS AS required to determine whether a report may be indicated.
S. 6427--A                          3
RECORD SHALL BE IMMEDIATELY UNSEALED AND THE SUBSEQUENT INDICATED REPORT
SHALL BE  INELIGIBLE  FOR  CONDITIONAL  SEALING.  REPORTS  CONDITIONALLY
SEALED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE MAINTAINED IN THE STATEWIDE
CENTRAL  REGISTER,  HOWEVER  SUCH  REPORTS  SHALL  NOT BE MADE AVAILABLE
EXCEPT TO: (A) ENTITIES INCLUDED IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF SUBDIVISION FIVE OF
THIS SECTION; (B) AUTHORIZED AGENCIES THAT ARE CONSIDERING LICENSING THE
SUBJECT OF THE REPORT TO BECOME A FOSTER OR ADOPTIVE PARENT;  (C)  CHILD
PROTECTIVE SERVICES THAT ARE CONSIDERING RECOMMENDING THE SUBJECT OF THE
REPORT  AS  A  CUSTODIAL OR VISITATION RESOURCE; (D) HEAD START PROGRAMS
ACT OF 1964, EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION
TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED FORTY OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW,  PRESCHOOL  SERVICES
ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT TO SECTION FORTY-FOUR HUNDRED TEN OF THE EDUCATION
LAW AND CHILD DAY CARE PROVIDERS AS DEFINED  IN  SECTION  THREE  HUNDRED
NINETY  OF  THIS ARTICLE FOR THE PURPOSES OF DETERMINING EMPLOYMENT, BUT
ONLY FOR AN ADDITIONAL FOUR YEARS AFTER  SUCH  RECORD  IS  CONDITIONALLY
SEALED;  AND  (E) THE COURT, UPON RECEIVING A RECOMMENDATION REGARDING A
POTENTIAL FOSTER  OR  ADOPTIVE  PARENT  OR  A  CUSTODIAL  OR  VISITATION
RESOURCE  FROM  A  CHILD  PROTECTIVE  SERVICE IF SUCH RECOMMENDATION WAS
BASED IN ANY PART ON THE INDICATED REPORT. In the case  of  a  child  in
residential  care  the  record  of  the  report to the statewide central
register shall be expunged ten years after the  reported  child's  eigh-
teenth  birthday.  In  any case and at any time, the commissioner of the
office of children and family services may amend any  record  upon  good
cause  shown  and notice to the subjects of the report and other persons
§ 7. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 8  of  section  422  of  the  social
graph  (ii) as amended by chapter 323 of the laws of 2008, is amended to
(a) (i) At any time subsequent to the completion of the  investigation
[but  in no event later than ninety days after the subject of the report
is notified that the report is indicated] the subject  may  request  the
commissioner  to  amend the record of the report.  [If] AFTER AN INITIAL
REQUEST, SUBSEQUENT REQUESTS MAY BE MADE FOR THE PURPOSE OF  DETERMINING
WHETHER,  DUE  TO A CHANGE IN THE SUBJECT'S CIRCUMSTANCES, THE INDICATED
CASE CONTINUES TO BE RELEVANT AND REASONABLY RELATED PURSUANT TO SUBPAR-
AGRAPH (II) OF PARAGRAPH (C) OF THIS SUBDIVISION. SUCH EVALUATION  SHALL
TAKE  PLACE  NO  MORE  THAN BIENNIALLY.   WHERE A PROCEEDING PURSUANT TO
ARTICLE TEN OF THE FAMILY COURT ACT BASED ON THE SAME  ALLEGATIONS  THAT
WERE  INDICATED  IS  PENDING, THE REQUEST TO AMEND SHALL BE STAYED UNTIL
THE DISPOSITION OF SUCH FAMILY COURT PROCEEDING OR, IF THE  PETITION  IS
DISMISSED  AT  THE  CONCLUSION  OF  AN  ADJOURNMENT  IN CONTEMPLATION OF
S. 6427--A                          4
DISMISSAL OR SUSPENDED JUDGMENT, AT SUCH TIME OF THE DISMISSAL, WHICHEV-
ER IS LATER. UNLESS SUCH REQUEST HAS BEEN STAYED,  IF  the  commissioner
does  not amend the report in accordance with such request within ninety
days  of  receiving  the  request, the subject shall have the right to a
fair hearing, held in accordance with paragraph (b) of this subdivision,
to determine whether the record of the report in  the  central  register
should  be  amended  on the grounds that it is inaccurate or it is being
maintained in a manner inconsistent with this title.
report. The service or state agency shall as expeditiously  as  possible
but  within  no more than twenty working days of receiving such request,
forward all records, reports and other information it maintains on  such
indicated  report to the office of children and family services, INCLUD-
ING A COPY OF ANY PETITION OR COURT ORDER BASED ON THE ALLEGATIONS  THAT
WERE  INDICATED. [The] UNLESS SUCH REQUEST TO AMEND HAS BEEN STAYED, THE
office of children and family services shall as expeditiously as  possi-
materials  in  its possession concerning the indicated report and deter-
nity to present its views, whether there is a fair preponderance of  the
evidence  to  find  that  the subject committed the act or acts of child
abuse or maltreatment giving rise to the indicated report  and  whether,
based  on  guidelines  developed  by  the  office of children and family
services pursuant to subdivision five of section  four  hundred  twenty-
four-a  of this title, such act or acts could be relevant and reasonably
this title, or relevant and reasonably related to  the  subject  of  the
report  being allowed to have regular and substantial contact with chil-
dren who are cared for by a provider agency, or relevant and  reasonably
related  to  the  approval or disapproval of an application submitted by
the subject of the report to a licensing agency, as defined by  subdivi-
(iii)  If  it  is determined at the review held pursuant to this para-
graph [(a)] that there is [no credible]  NOT  A  FAIR  PREPONDERANCE  OF
of  child abuse or maltreatment, the [department] OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND
FAMILY SERVICES shall amend the record to indicate that  the  report  is
the record to find that the subject committed such act or acts but  that
such  act  or  acts  could not be relevant and reasonably related to the
cared for by a provider agency or the  approval  or  disapproval  of  an
cy,  the  [department]  OFFICE  OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES shall be
precluded from informing a provider or licensing agency which  makes  an
inquiry  to  [the  department] SUCH OFFICE pursuant to the provisions of
S. 6427--A                          5
section four hundred twenty-four-a of this title concerning the  subject
that  the  person  about  whom  the inquiry is made is the subject of an
or to the subject being allowed to have regular and substantial  contact
with  children  cared for by a provider agency or the approval or disap-
proval of an application which could be submitted by the  subject  to  a
minations and that a fair hearing has been scheduled pursuant  to  para-
§  8.  Subparagraphs (i) and (ii) of paragraph (b) of subdivision 8 of
in  ninety  days  of] UPON receiving a request from the subject that the
record of a report be amended, does not amend the record  in  accordance
with  such  request,  [the department] SUCH OFFICE shall schedule a fair
hearing and shall provide notice of the scheduled hearing  date  to  the
subject,  the  statewide  central  register  and, as appropriate, to the
child protective service or the  state  agency  which  investigated  the
(ii)  The  burden  of  proof  in  such a hearing shall be on the child
the case may be. In such a hearing, the fact  that  there  is  a  family
court  finding  of  abuse or neglect against the subject in regard to an
tion that said allegation is substantiated by  [some  credible]  A  FAIR
CY  WITHDRAWS  WITH  PREJUDICE  AN ALLEGATION IN A PETITION, OR A FAMILY
COURT FINDS ON THE MERITS THAT AN ALLEGATION DOES NOT  CONSTITUTE  ABUSE
OR NEGLECT OR WAS NOT SUPPORTED BY A FAIR PREPONDERANCE OF THE EVIDENCE,
OR  AN  ALLEGATION  HAS  BEEN  DISMISSED  AT THE CONCLUSION OF EITHER AN
ADJOURNMENT IN CONTEMPLATION OF DISMISSAL OR SUSPENDED JUDGMENT, IF SUCH
ALLEGATION WAS THE SAME AS THE ALLEGATION IN AN  INDICATED  REPORT,  THE
OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES SHALL AMEND SUCH INDICATED REPORT
S. 6427--A                          6
regular and substantial contact with children who are  cared  for  by  a
provider  agency  or  relevant and reasonably related to the approval or
disapproval of an application submitted by the subject  to  a  licensing
agency,  as  defined by subdivision four of section four hundred twenty-
Upon a determination made at a fair hearing that the act  or  acts  of
abuse  or maltreatment are relevant and reasonably related to employment
the  subject  to a licensing agency, the [department] OFFICE OF CHILDREN
OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND  FAMILY  SERVICES  shall  inform  a  provider  or
licensing  agency which makes an inquiry to [the department] SUCH OFFICE
title concerning the subject that the person about whom the  inquiry  is
The  failure  to determine at the fair hearing that the act or acts of
abuse and maltreatment  are  relevant  and  reasonably  related  to  the
[department]  OFFICE  OF  CHILDREN  AND FAMILY SERVICES from informing a
provider or licensing agency which makes an inquiry to [the  department]
SUCH  OFFICE  pursuant to the provisions of section four hundred twenty-
four-a of this title concerning the subject that the person  about  whom
the  inquiry  is  made  is  the  subject  of an indicated child abuse or
§ 10. Paragraph (e) of subdivision 8 of  section  422  of  the  social
services  law, as added by chapter 12 of the laws of 1996, is amended to
(e) Should the [department] OFFICE OF  CHILDREN  AND  FAMILY  SERVICES
indicated  report  to  an unfounded report[. Such], SUCH report shall be
§ 11. Subparagraphs (i), (ii), (iii), and  (v)  of  paragraph  (e)  of
subdivision 1 of section 424-a of the social services law, subparagraphs
(i),  (ii)  and  (iii) as amended by chapter 12 of the laws of 1996, and
S. 6427--A                          7
subparagraph (v) as amended by chapter 634 of  the  laws  of  1988,  are
amended  and  six  new  subparagraphs (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x) and
(xi) are added to read as follows:
(i)  Subject to the provisions of subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph,
the department shall inform the provider or licensing agency,  or  child
care  resource and referral programs pursuant to subdivision six of this
section whether or not the person is the subject of an  indicated  child
abuse  and  maltreatment report only if: (a) the time for the subject of
the report to request an amendment of the record of the report  pursuant
to  [subdivision  eight of section four hundred twenty-two] SUBPARAGRAPH
(V) OF THIS PARAGRAPH has expired without any such request  having  been
made;  or  (b) such request was made within such time and a fair hearing
regarding the request has been finally determined  by  the  commissioner
and  the record of the report has not been amended to unfound the report
or delete the person as a subject of the report.
ment has not requested an amendment of the record of the report  [within
the  time specified in subdivision eight of section four hundred twenty-
two of this title or if the subject had a fair hearing pursuant to  such
section  prior  to  January  first,  nineteen hundred eighty-six] and an
inquiry is made to  the  [department]  OFFICE  OF  CHILDREN  AND  FAMILY
SERVICES  pursuant  to  this  subdivision  concerning the subject of the
but within no more than ten working days  of  receipt  of  the  inquiry,
determine  whether, in fact, the person about whom an inquiry is made is
person about whom the inquiry is made is the  subject  of  an  indicated
FAMILY SERVICES SHALL STAY DETERMINATION OF  WHETHER  THERE  IS  A  FAIR
UNLESS SUCH DETERMINATION HAS BEEN STAYED, THE OFFICE  OF  CHILDREN  AND
S. 6427--A                          8
about  whom  the  inquiry  is  made  is  not the subject of an indicated
report. [If the subject of the report had a  fair  hearing  pursuant  to
to  January  first, nineteen hundred eighty-six and the fair hearing had
had not been amended to unfound the report or delete  the  person  as  a
acts  of  child  abuse  or  maltreatment  giving  rise  to the indicated
(v) If it is determined after a review by the [department]  OFFICE  OF
CHILDREN  AND FAMILY SERVICES of all records, reports and information in
its possession concerning the subject of the report that there is  [some
credible]  A  FAIR  PREPONDERANCE  OF evidence to prove that the subject
committed the act or acts of abuse or maltreatment giving  rise  to  the
indicated  report [and that such act or acts are relevant and reasonably
agency or to the subject being allowed to have regular  and  substantial
contact  with children cared for by a provider agency or the approval or
the subject of the inquiry of his or her  fair  hearing  rights  granted
GATION  DOES  NOT  CONSTITUTE ABUSE OR NEGLECT OR WAS NOT SUPPORTED BY A
FAIR PREPONDERANCE OF THE EVIDENCE, OR A PETITION HAS BEEN DISMISSED  AT
THE  CONCLUSION OF EITHER AN ADJOURNMENT IN CONTEMPLATION OF A DISMISSAL
OR SUSPENDED JUDGMENT, IF SUCH ALLEGATION WAS AT THE SAME  TIME  AS  THE
ALLEGATION  IN  AN  INDICATED  REPORT  THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY
SERVICES SHALL AMEND SUCH INDICATED REPORT TO BE UNFOUNDED.
S. 6427--A                          9
(VIII)  UPON  A DETERMINATION AT THE FAIR HEARING THAT THE SUBJECT HAS
BEEN SHOWN, BY A FAIR PREPONDERANCE OF THE EVIDENCE, TO  HAVE  COMMITTED
THE  ACT OR ACTS OF CHILD ABUSE OR MALTREATMENT GIVING RISE TO THE INDI-
CATED REPORT, THE HEARING OFFICER SHALL DETERMINE, BASED  ON  GUIDELINES
DEVELOPED  BY  THE  OFFICE  OF  CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES PURSUANT TO
SUBDIVISION FIVE OF THIS SECTION, WHETHER SUCH ACT OR ACTS ARE  RELEVANT
AND  REASONABLY RELATED TO THE SUBJECT BEING ALLOWED TO HAVE REGULAR AND
SUBSTANTIAL CONTACT WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE CARED FOR BY A PROVIDER  AGEN-
(IX)  UPON A DETERMINATION MADE AT A FAIR HEARING THAT THE ACT OR ACTS
OF ABUSE OR MALTREATMENT ARE RELEVANT  AND  REASONABLY  RELATED  TO  THE
DREN AND FAMILY SERVICES SHALL NOTIFY THE SUBJECT AND SHALL  INFORM  THE
INQUIRING  PARTY THAT THE PERSON ABOUT WHOM SUCH INQUIRY WAS MADE IS THE
(X) THE FAILURE TO DETERMINE AT THE FAIR HEARING THAT THE ACT OR  ACTS
OF  ABUSE  AND  MALTREATMENT  ARE RELEVANT AND REASONABLY RELATED TO THE
OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES  FROM  INFORMING  A  PROVIDER  OR
LICENSING  AGENCY THAT SUCH PERSON IS THE SUBJECT OF AN INDICATED REPORT
(XI) SHOULD THE OFFICE OF  CHILDREN  AND  FAMILY  SERVICES  GRANT  THE
REQUEST  OF  THE  SUBJECT  OF  THE  REPORT PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION,
EITHER THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW OR FAIR  HEARING,  TO  AMEND  AN
INDICATED  REPORT  TO  AN UNFOUNDED REPORT, SUCH REPORT SHALL BE LEGALLY
SEALED AND SHALL BE RELEASED AND EXPUNGED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE  STAND-
§ 12. Paragraph (iii) of subdivision (f) of section 1051 of the family
court  act,  as  added by chapter 430 of the laws of 1994, is amended to
(iii) that the report made to the  state  central  register  of  child
abuse  and  maltreatment upon which the petition is based will remain on
named in such report, that the  respondent  will  be  unable  to  obtain
expungement  of  such report[, and] THAT IF SUCH REPORT IS FOR MALTREAT-
MENT, IT SHALL BE LEGALLY CONDITIONALLY SEALED AFTER EIGHT YEARS  UNLESS
A DETERMINATION IS MADE TO SEAL IT EARLIER SO LONG AS SUCH INDIVIDUAL IS
NOT  NAMED  AS  THE  SUBJECT  OF  THE REPORT IN ANY SUBSEQUENT INDICATED
REPORTS OF ABUSE OR  MALTREATMENT.  THE  COURT  SHALL  ALSO  INFORM  THE
RESPONDENT  that  the  existence  of such [report] REPORTS WHICH ARE NOT
CONDITIONALLY SEALED may be made known to employers  seeking  to  screen
employee  applicants  [in  the  field  of child care, and] FOR POSITIONS
INVOLVING POTENTIAL CONTACT WITH CHILDREN, AND THAT CONDITIONALLY SEALED
REPORTS MAY BE AVAILABLE TO CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND  LAW  ENFORCE-
MENT  CONDUCTING  SUBSEQUENT  INVESTIGATIONS, to [child care] AUTHORIZED
S. 6427--A                         10
agencies if the respondent applies to become a foster parent [or], adop-
tive parent OR SEEKS CUSTODY OF OR VISITATION WITH A CHILD,  OR  FOR  AN
ADDITIONAL FOUR YEARS AFTER THE RECORD HAS BEEN CONDITIONALLY SEALED, TO
HEAD  START PROGRAMS WHICH ARE FUNDED PURSUANT TO TITLE V OF THE FEDERAL
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ACT OF 1964,  EARLY  INTERVENTION  SERVICES  ESTAB-
LISHED  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION  TWENTY-FIVE  HUNDRED  FORTY OF THE PUBLIC
HEALTH LAW, PRESCHOOL SERVICES ESTABLISHED PURSUANT  TO  SECTION  FORTY-
FOUR  HUNDRED  TEN  OF  THE  EDUCATION  LAW  AND CHILD CARE PROVIDERS AS
DEFINED IN SECTION THREE HUNDRED NINETY OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW,  FOR
THE PURPOSES OF DETERMINING EMPLOYMENT.
§ 13. This act shall take effect immediately; provided,  however  that
shall have become a law; provided, however, that sections six and  eight
shall have become a law; and section seven of this act shall take effect
on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.