Bill Text: NY S00619 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Creates "Robin's law"; relates to mental health and chemical dependence outpatient treatment of sex offenders; requires the development of guidelines and procedures for outpatient group settings.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - REFERRED TO MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES [S00619 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-S00619-Introduced.html


                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                           619
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                    IN SENATE
                                       (Prefiled)
                                     January 9, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  Sen.  BOYLE  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health and Develop-
          mental Disabilities
        AN ACT to create "Robin's law"; and to amend the mental hygiene law,  in
          relation to mental health and chemical dependence outpatient treatment
          of sex offenders
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as "Robin's law."
     2    § 2. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section 7.48 to
     3  read as follows:
     4  § 7.48 Sex offenders; outpatient group setting.
     5    The commissioner shall develop guidelines and procedures regarding sex
     6  offenders, as defined  in  section  one  hundred  sixty-eight-a  of  the
     7  correction  law, and detained sex offenders, as defined in section 10.03
     8  of this title, receiving services in an outpatient group  setting.  Such
     9  guidelines  and  procedures  shall  outline  best  practices to ensure a
    10  protected, safe and  clinically  sound  treatment  environment  for  all
    11  patients  and  shall,  to  the  greatest  extent  possible,  be based on
    12  evidence-based clinical treatment standards regarding the segregation of
    13  sex offenders from the general patient population.  In  developing  such
    14  guidelines  and  procedures, the commissioner shall consult with a panel
    15  of stakeholders who shall include, but  not  be  limited  to,  represen-
    16  tatives  of consumer advocates, providers and victim rights groups. Such
    17  panel shall consist of nine members, of whom: five shall be appointed by
    18  the governor, two shall be appointed by the temporary president  of  the
    19  senate and two shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly.
    20    §  3.  The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section 19.45
    21  to read as follows:
    22  § 19.45 Sex offenders; outpatient group setting.
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD04333-01-9

        S. 619                              2
     1    The commissioner shall develop guidelines and procedures regarding sex
     2  offenders, as defined  in  section  one  hundred  sixty-eight-a  of  the
     3  correction  law, and detained sex offenders, as defined in section 10.03
     4  of this chapter, receiving services in an outpatient group setting. Such
     5  guidelines  and  procedures  shall  outline  best  practices to ensure a
     6  protected, safe and  clinically  sound  treatment  environment  for  all
     7  patients  and  shall,  to  the  greatest  extent  possible,  be based on
     8  evidence-based clinical treatment standards regarding the segregation of
     9  sex offenders from the general patient population.  In  developing  such
    10  guidelines  and  procedures, the commissioner shall consult with a panel
    11  of stakeholders who shall include, but  not  be  limited  to,  represen-
    12  tatives  of consumer advocates, providers and victim rights groups. Such
    13  panel shall consist of nine members, of whom: five shall be appointed by
    14  the governor, two shall be appointed by the temporary president  of  the
    15  senate and two shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly.
    16    § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
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