Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara announced new legislation he has introduced in the New York State Assembly that would allow law enforcement to have access to certain Child Protective Services records before a child goes missing.

This legislation comes in the wake of the recent search for missing 4-month-old Rayen Puleski in the City of Schenectady. The bill would allow Child Protective Services to share case file information with law enforcement after a missed appointment is reported or other “red flags” that might indicate law enforcement should take action before a child might go missing. The bill also allows those records to be shared across county lines when necessary.

“Just over 3 years ago I helped passed ‘Kenneth White’s Law’ that expedited law enforcement’s ability to access to CPS records after a child went missing,” said Assemblyman Santabarbara. "This bill is essentially an expansion of Kenneth's Law that gives law enforcement that information they need before a child goes missing,"

"As we have seen in this most recent case, it's also important to allow records to be shared across county lines when necessary," Santabarbara added. "We must do all that we can to protect children, there is nothing more important. When there are indicating signs or suspicious incidents, timing is everything and this legislation is an important step in making sure we are taking action as soon as possible,” Assemblyman Santabarbara said. “CPS records can contain valuable information that can help law enforcement take action before a child goes missing.”

On Dec. 18, 2014, Kenneth White was reported kidnapped from his home in Knox where he was living under court order with his aunt. In the initial hours of the search for the boy, investigators from the Albany County Sheriff's Office were denied access to the child's records with the Albany County's Child Protective Services. Assemblyman Santabarbara introduced this expansion of 'Kenneth Whites Law' today, August 22nd, on what would have been Kenneth’s 9th Birthday.

Assemblyman Santabarbara will be also attending tonight’s “Remembering Kenneth White” Memorial Service at 7:15pm at Calvary Cemetery, 481 Route 9W, Glenmont, New York 12077.