Bill Text: NY S05241 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Establishes a process for regulating the collecting, recording, and disclosing of confidential information by state employees.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - REFERRED TO CODES [S05241 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-S05241-Introduced.html


                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          5241
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                    IN SENATE
                                     April 18, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced by Sens. SERRANO, KRUEGER, STAVISKY -- read twice and ordered
          printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
        AN  ACT  to  amend  the  civil rights law, in relation to regulating the
          collection,  recording  and  disclosing  of  confidential  information
          obtained by state employees in the course of official duties
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section 1. The civil rights law is amended by  adding  a  new  section
     2  50-f to read as follows:
     3    § 50-f. Disclosure of confidential information by state employees.  1.
     4  Definitions. As used in this section:
     5    a.  "confidential  information"  means  any  information maintained or
     6  obtained by a state agency, officer, or employee concerning an  individ-
     7  ual's  health  or  disability  status, income tax records, sexual orien-
     8  tation, status as a victim of  domestic  violence,  status  as  a  crime
     9  victim  or witness, public assistance status, immigration status, or any
    10  information that is otherwise protected from disclosure by any provision
    11  of federal, state, or local law; and
    12    b. "line worker" means any person employed by any state  agency  whose
    13  duties involve contact with the public.
    14    2. Procedure for the disclosure of confidential information.
    15    a.  Except  as  provided  in paragraph b of this subdivision, no state
    16  officer or employee shall disclose confidential  information  to  anyone
    17  except  another  state officer or employee acting in the scope of his or
    18  her official duties.
    19    b. Other than as provided in paragraph a of this  subdivision,  confi-
    20  dential information may be disclosed only if:
    21    (i)  the officer's or employee's agency is required by law to disclose
    22  such confidential information and provided that such disclosure shall be
    23  limited to that required by law; or
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD03151-01-9

        S. 5241                             2
     1    (ii) the officer's or employee's agency has been authorized, in  writ-
     2  ing  signed by the individual or, if the individual is a minor or other-
     3  wise incompetent, such authorization has been signed by the individual's
     4  parent or legal guardian, to disclose such confidential information, and
     5  provided  that  the  disclosure  shall  be limited to that authorized in
     6  writing by the individual; or
     7    (iii) there is reasonable suspicion or probable cause to believe  that
     8  a  person  is engaging in criminal activity and the disclosure of confi-
     9  dential information is necessary to cooperate  with  a  law  enforcement
    10  agency or agencies investigating that criminal activity; or
    11    (iv)  such confidential information is to be used by a federal, state,
    12  or local government agency, and solely  for  the  purpose  of  compiling
    13  statistical  information,  provided that the disclosure shall be limited
    14  to that necessary to compile such statistical information, and  provided
    15  further  that  the  recipient  of the information ensures, in writing in
    16  advance of any disclosure, that the confidential  information  disclosed
    17  will not be further disclosed to any other agency or other individual.
    18    3.  Procedure  for  the  collecting  and/or  recording of confidential
    19  information. This subdivision shall apply to  any  documentation,  ques-
    20  tionnaire,  interview  sheet, or other form used in relation to benefits
    21  or services provided by the state.
    22    a. No state officer or employee shall make inquiries regarding  confi-
    23  dential  information  of any individual, when such individual, on his or
    24  her behalf or on behalf of another, is applying for,  or  is  receiving,
    25  any  service  or benefit provided by the state, unless such confidential
    26  information is specifically required by federal or state law as a condi-
    27  tion of receipt of such service or benefit.
    28    b. If confidential information is required by federal or state law  as
    29  a  condition  of  receipt of a service or benefit provided by the state,
    30  the state officer or employee shall make only those inquiries  necessary
    31  to determine if an applicant or recipient is qualified for and otherwise
    32  meets the conditions for receipt of such service or benefit.
    33    c.  No  state officer or employee shall collect and/or record informa-
    34  tion regarding the immigration status of an applicant for, or  recipient
    35  of, any service or benefit unless such immigration status is required by
    36  federal  or state law. Where federal or state law requires the recording
    37  of such confidential immigration status information, only that  informa-
    38  tion specifically required shall be recorded.
    39    4.  Designation  of  access  officer  responsible  for authorizing the
    40  release of confidential information. The head or governing body of  each
    41  agency  shall  designate one or more persons with supervisory authority,
    42  and assign to such persons the further authority to approve and  author-
    43  ize  the  release  of  confidential  information.  The designation shall
    44  include the name, specific job title,  telephone  number,  and  business
    45  address  of  each  such  designated  access  officer. When approving and
    46  authorizing the release of confidential information, a designated access
    47  officer shall specify,  in  writing,  the  specific  information  to  be
    48  disclosed,  and the persons or entities to whom such disclosure shall be
    49  made. The designated access officer shall ensure that any disclosure  is
    50  authorized by law and within the limits as provided by law.
    51    5.  Disclosure  by  line  workers of confidential information. No line
    52  worker employed by a state agency shall disclose  confidential  informa-
    53  tion  without  obtaining prior written approval from a designated access
    54  officer responsible for approving and authorizing the release of  confi-
    55  dential information for that agency.

        S. 5241                             3
     1    6. Review of a complaint. Upon receipt of a complaint, the state agen-
     2  cy  shall determine immediately whether there are reasonable grounds for
     3  an investigation. Such investigation shall  be  conducted  in  a  manner
     4  prescribed  in  the  regulations  set forth by the director of the state
     5  agency  or  an  authorized representative. If the director or authorized
     6  representative determines that the investigation and resolution of  such
     7  complaint  is  more  suitably handled by another state agency, then such
     8  director or authorized representative  shall  immediately  forward  such
     9  complaint  to  the appropriate agency. The state agency shall maintain a
    10  file concerning such complaints  through  such  agency's  completion  or
    11  action  thereon. Any state agency receiving a complaint pursuant to this
    12  subdivision shall provide upon request,  written  notice  of  the  final
    13  determination of or action upon such complaint.
    14    7.  Violation.  Any  state  agency which employs a person who has been
    15  charged with the disclosure of confidential information in violation  of
    16  the provisions of this article shall be subject to a civil penalty of an
    17  amount not to exceed one thousand dollars.
    18    8.  Other  laws  respecting confidentiality. Nothing herein reduces or
    19  abridges any other protection in federal, state, or local law respecting
    20  the confidentiality of information.
    21    9. Severability. If any section, subdivision, sentence, clause, phrase
    22  or other portion of this section is, for any reason, declared  unconsti-
    23  tutional  or  invalid,  in  whole  or in part, by any court of competent
    24  jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed severable, and such unconsti-
    25  tutionality or invalidity shall not affect the validity of the remaining
    26  portions of this section, which remaining  portions  shall  continue  in
    27  full force and effect.
    28    §  2.  This  act shall take effect immediately. Effective immediately,
    29  the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or  regulation  neces-
    30  sary  for  the  implementation  of  this  act  on its effective date are
    31  authorized and directed to be made  and  completed  on  or  before  such
    32  effective date.
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