Children and Families Committee defeats bill to require OCFS and DOCS to notify schools before juvenile releases

The Senate Children and Families Committee voted on May 13 in Albany to defeat S.3624, a bill that would have required the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) and the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCS) to share records and provide advance notice to school districts and local law enforcement before the release or discharge of juvenile offenders.

The measure failed based on committee voting sheets showing four no votes. Senator Jabari Brisport, chair of the committee, presided over the session.

Sponsor Senator Rollison described a local case he said motivated the legislation: a youth who, while under court supervision, was taken to school each morning to check for prohibited items and later, at about age 15, held a principal at gunpoint. The youth was later sentenced to three to nine years in an OCFS facility, Rollison said, and when he was discharged after about two-and-a-half years, local officials learned of the release only after the youth’s mother left a voicemail asking the school about educational services.

"No one knew he was released," Rollison said, describing missed handoffs among OCFS, DOCS and probation staff. Rollison said the assigned probation officer was on long-term disability and a backup officer was on vacation, creating a gap in supervision when the youth returned to the community.

Under the bill described by Rollison, OCFS would provide DOCS with records needed to identify and mitigate risk; OCFS and DOCS would notify the school district where a minor would reside at least 30 days before release; and OCFS and DOCS would notify local law enforcement at least 48 hours before release. Rollison said current law requires OCFS to notify law enforcement when a person released is over 18 but not when the person is under 18.

Committee members asked no recorded follow-up questions during the sponsor presentation. Based on the committee voting sheets, the measure was defeated with four no votes and no further action reported in the meeting transcript.

The committee considered other bills during the same meeting (see "Votes at a glance" summary), including proposals on juvenile record confidentiality, civil practice law revisions, child-care inspections and Correctional Association inspection authority.

A copy of the bill text and the committee voting sheet were referenced during the meeting but not entered into the record in full during the hearing.

The committee adjourned after completing the agenda.