BILL NUMBER: S8054
SPONSOR: BASKIN
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to body scanners in
state-operated facilities
PURPOSE:
To increase safety and security for clients and staff at state-operated
facilities
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Expands the application of current provisions of the public
health law allowing for eh use of body scanners in DOCCS and local
correctional facilities to include facilities operated by the Office of
Mental Heal, the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities and
the Office of Children and Family Services.
Section 2: Establishes the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
In order to reduce the inflow of weapons and other contraband in DOCCS
facilities, the department is authorized to utilize body scanners. This
legislation would authorize OMH, OPWDD, and OCFS to also use body scan-
ners to curtail the influx of weapons and other contraband into these
facilities. The state-operated facilities operated by OMH, OCFD, and
OPWDD that would be eligible to use of body scanners would include
Mental Health Hospitals and Facilities, Addiction Treatment Centers,
Community Residences, Supervised Living Facilities, Residential Treat-
ment Facilities, Residential Care Centers for Adults, Secure Treatment
Facilities, Division Facilities at OCFS, Temporary Hold Over Facilities
at OCFS, and Juvenile Offender Facilities.
There has been a spike in weapons-related violence at certain OMH, OCFS,
and OPWDD facilities in the past year and if enacted, this legislation
would provide a sensible and needed additional layer of security for
clients and staff at these state-operated facilities so that both staff
and clients can focus their efforts on treatment. This legislation
merely authorized the agencies to avail themselves of the technology, it
is not a mandate and does not provide money to purchase equipment.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
One hundred twentieth day after which it shall have been enacted.