STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1050--A 2017-2018 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY January 10, 2017 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. STIRPE, JAFFEE, LUPARDO, O'DONNELL, BLAKE, GOTT- FRIED, CAHILL, SKOUFIS, GOODELL, FINCH, PALMESANO, PAULIN, STECK, ARROYO, DAVILA, PICHARDO, FRIEND, BUCHWALD, MAGNARELLI, SIMON, HAWLEY, GUNTHER, HUNTER, PEOPLES-STOKES, WEPRIN, DiPIETRO, QUART, ABINANTI, SEAWRIGHT, OTIS, BARRETT, RYAN, M. G. MILLER, BENEDETTO, JENNE, ZEBROWSKI, CUSICK, L. ROSENTHAL, FAHY, ROZIC, LIFTON, McDONALD, WRIGHT, M. L. MILLER, ORTIZ, CARROLL, BRINDISI, JEAN-PIERRE, BARCLAY, ENGLEBRIGHT, DILAN, DE LA ROSA, WALKER, D'URSO, RAMOS, MORINELLO, McDONOUGH, WALLACE, TITONE, ERRIGO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ABBATE, COOK, CROUCH, GALEF, GIGLIO, HEVESI, MONTESANO, PRETLOW, RA, RIVERA, WOERNER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Judici- ary -- recommitted to the Committee on Judiciary in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee AN ACT to amend the judiciary law, in relation to the court-appointed special advocates program The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 212 of the judiciary law is 2 amended by adding a new paragraph (w) to read as follows: 3 (w) Adopt rules and regulations standardizing use of court-appointed 4 special advocate (CASA) programs in this state and governing the struc- 5 ture, administration and operation of such programs. 6 § 2. The judiciary law is amended by adding a new article 21-C to read 7 as follows: 8 ARTICLE 21-C 9 COURT-APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES PROGRAM 10 Section 849-l. Appointment. 11 849-m. Confidentiality. 12 § 849-l. Appointment. A person employed by, or volunteering for, a 13 court-appointed special advocate (CASA) program shall not be eligible EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD04741-08-8

A. 1050--A 2 1 for appointment by a family court to assist such court unless such 2 program is in compliance with the rules and regulations of the chief 3 administrator of the courts adopted pursuant to paragraph (w) of subdi- 4 vision two of section two hundred twelve of this chapter, and such 5 program has been approved by the chief administrator. Such person or 6 volunteer so appointed shall only exercise the functions and duties 7 specifically authorized by the court. 8 § 849-m. Confidentiality. Each CASA program shall safeguard the confi- 9 dentiality of all information and material in accordance with applicable 10 state and federal laws, rules and regulations and, to this end, shall 11 ensure that all of its board members, officers, employees and volunteers 12 are trained in, and comply with, such laws, rules and regulations. 13 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.