A06716 Summary:

BILL NOA06716
 
SAME ASSAME AS S04145
 
SPONSORPretlow
 
COSPNSR
 
MLTSPNSR
 
Amd §378, Soc Serv L
 
Relates to chemical testing for prospective foster parents; includes, but is not limited to drug and alcohol testing; authorizes office of children and family services to issue random chemical testing, including but not limited to, drug testing, to foster parents.
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A06716 Actions:

BILL NOA06716
 
03/10/2025referred to children and families
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A06716 Committee Votes:

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A06716 Floor Votes:

There are no votes for this bill in this legislative session.
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A06716 Memo:

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A6716
 
SPONSOR: Pretlow
  TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the social services law, in relation to chemical testing for prospective foster care parents   PURPOSE: Relates to chemical testing for prospective foster parents prior to certification.   SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISION: THIS BILL WILL AMEND SECTION 378 OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW BY ADDING A NEW SUBDIVISION 6. SUBDIVISION 6 (A) WILL NOT ALLOW SUCH LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE TO BE AWARDED TO PROSPECTIVE FOSTER PARENT PRIOR TO CHEMICAL TESTING, INCLUDING, BUT NET LIMITED TO DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING. IN THE GIVEN CASE IF SUCH CHEMICAL TESTING REVEALS A POSITIVE PRESENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL IN SUCH A PROSPECTIVE FOSTER. PARENT THE APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATION OR LICENSURE WILL BE DENIED. ONCE THE FOSTER PARENT IS AWARDED LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE SUBDIVISION 6 (B) STATES THAT THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ISSUE RANDOM CHEMICAL TESTING TO FOSTER PARENTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING.   JUSTIFICATION: Social Services has reported various incidents where foster parents have been arrested for drug charges, by State Police. Background checks are done prior to the approval of foster parents, but in certain cases there is no information that leads to the history of substance abuse. In order to locate suitable foster homes for children to insure their safety, foster parents should be required to take chemical testing prior to certification. If the testing is found to be positive the individual should be denied for application or certification.   PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 2024 01/03/24 A3491 referred to children and families 2023 02/03/23 A3491 referred to children and families 2022 01/05/22 A1841 referred to children and families 2019-2020 A3734 referred to children and families 2015 - 2016 A2142 referred to children and families A3925 2013-14 referred to children & families A2494 2009/2010 referred to children and families   FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.   EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately.
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A06716 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          6716
 
                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                     March 10, 2025
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by M. of A. PRETLOW -- read once and referred to the Commit-
          tee on Children and Families
 
        AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to chemical testing
          for prospective foster care parents
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. Section 378 of the social services law is amended by adding
     2  a new subdivision 6 to read as follows:
     3    6.  (a)  No such license or certificate shall be awarded to a prospec-
     4  tive foster parent prior to chemical testing, including, but not limited
     5  to, drug and alcohol testing. Notwithstanding any other provision of law
     6  to the contrary,  an  application  for  certification  or  licensure  or
     7  approval of a prospective foster parent shall be denied where such chem-
     8  ical  testing  reveals  a  positive presence of drugs or alcohol in such
     9  prospective foster parent.
    10    (b) The office of children and  family  services  shall  issue  random
    11  chemical  testing to foster parents, including, but not limited to, drug
    12  testing.
    13    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
 
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD07738-01-5
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