Establishes a voluntary registry of individuals with autism, Alzheimer's or dementia who may be at risk of wandering away from home; creates a standardized form available that may be submitted to local law enforcement agencies by family members and caregivers of such individuals that would include identifying information and may include a photograph of the registrant.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A3552
SPONSOR: Santabarbara TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to assisting state and
local law enforcement agencies in establishing a registry to locate
certain missing individuals
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to establish a voluntary registry of indi-
viduals with Autism, Alzheimer's or Dementia who may be at risk of
wandering away from home. This legislation would make a standardized
form available that may be submitted to local law enforcement agencies
by family members and caregivers of such individuals. This form would
include identifying information and may include a photograph of the
registrant.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Adds a new subdivision (24) to Section 837 of the Executive Law to
direct the Division of Criminal Justice Services to promulgate, in
consultation with the Commissioner of Mental Retardation and Develop-
mental Disabilities, a voluntary registry that may be established and
used by state and local law enforcement agencies.
JUSTIFICATION:
A voluntary registry would enable caretakers and loved ones to register
individuals with Autism, Alzheimer's or Dementia with state or local law
enforcement agencies. By filing in such a form, law enforcement person-
nel may be more equipped with vital information, including a photograph
of the individual, to help locate or identify the person if they are
wandering or lost. Many localities across the country have implemented
similar measures protect our most vulnerable citizens. Such measure
would benefit the affected individual, family and law enforcement
personnel by enabling them to refer to a standardized form to help
locate the missing individual at a point when time is most critical.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021-22: S.6069 Referred to Governmental Operations
2019-20: S.4605 Referred to Finance
2017-18: S.3626 - REFERRED TO FINANCE
2015-16: S.551A - Amend and Recommit to Finance
2013-14: S.4557/A.3545 - Referred to Finance
2011-12: S.4643/A.4434 - Committed to Rules/Governmental Operations
2009-10: S.4384/A.6662 - Referred to Finance/Governmental Operations
2008: S.7868/A.11551 - Passed Senate/Referred to Governmental Ops
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
Minimal.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
on or before such effective date.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3552
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 28, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to assisting state and
local law enforcement agencies in establishing a registry to locate
certain missing individuals
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 837 of the executive law is amended by adding a new
2 subdivision 24 to read as follows:
3 24. Promulgate, in consultation with the commissioner of the office
4 for people with developmental disabilities, a standardized form that may
5 be used by state and local law enforcement agencies as a voluntary
6 registry to help locate persons diagnosed with autism spectrum disor-
7 ders, Alzheimer's disease or other dementia, or who are otherwise unable
8 to communicate and who lose the ability to recognize familiar places or
9 faces. Such form may include identifying information on the missing
10 registrant such as physical features, medical conditions, whether the
11 person is non-verbal, and names of family or friends to contact if the
12 person is located. Such form may also provide for a photograph of the
13 registrant to be submitted with the form.
14 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
15 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment
16 and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation
17 of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
18 completed on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06706-01-5
