Bill Text: NY S08042 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requires law enforcement agencies and district attorney's offices to advise human trafficking victims of the availability of social and legal services; unless law enforcement agencies and district attorney's offices are notified by the victim that they do not want such services, such law enforcement agency shall contact the appropriate provider and request that a representative be provided.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-03-12 - REFERRED TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES [S08042 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-S08042-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          8042

                    IN SENATE

                                     March 12, 2020
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  RAMOS  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Children and Families

        AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to  advising  human
          trafficking victims of the availability of social and legal services

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. Section 483-cc of the social services  law  is  amended  by
     2  adding a new subdivision (c) to read as follows:
     3    (c) Promptly upon an encounter with a person who reasonably appears to
     4  a  law  enforcement  agency  or district attorney's office to be a human
     5  trafficking victim, or a person who identifies himself or herself  as  a
     6  human trafficking victim, such law enforcement agency or district attor-
     7  ney's  office  shall  advise  such  person  of  the  availability of the
     8  services of specific, established providers of social and legal services
     9  to human trafficking victims.  Each local department of social  services
    10  shall  maintain  and  shall  update,  at  least once annually, a list of
    11  established providers of social and legal services to human  trafficking
    12  victims within the social services district, which shall be provided, at
    13  least once annually, to law enforcement agencies and district attorney's
    14  offices  within  the district.  In order to communicate effectively with
    15  such person, the law enforcement agency or  district  attorney's  office
    16  may  provide  such  individual with a brochure or other written material
    17  translated into the six most  common  non-English  languages  spoken  by
    18  individuals  with  limited  English  proficiency  in the state or in the
    19  applicable county, city, or town; provided, however, where  such  person
    20  is  not  proficient in one of such languages, the law enforcement agency
    21  or district attorney's office shall make reasonable efforts to  communi-
    22  cate  effectively  with such person, using an interpreter or interpreta-
    23  tion services, where practicable.  Unless, after receiving such  advice,
    24  the  apparent victim expresses that he or she does not wish the presence
    25  of a representative of such an established provider of social  or  legal
    26  services, the law enforcement agency or district attorney's office shall
    27  contact  the  appropriate  provider and request that a representative be
    28  provided. If the apparent victim does not wish the presence  of  such  a

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD11936-07-0
        S. 8042                             2

     1  representative,  that  expression  by the apparent victim shall be docu-
     2  mented by the agency or office official in  writing  or  other  recorded
     3  form.  Nothing  in this subdivision shall affect any obligation such law
     4  enforcement agency or district attorney's office may have to provide any
     5  information or assistance to such person.
     6    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.