New York Assembly Bill A00748

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/8/25
• Refer: 1/8/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Establishes the kinship legal network program in the office of children and family services to provide legal services to kinship caregivers.

Summary

This bill creates a new “kinship legal network program” within the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). The program would be made up of not-for-profit legal services organizations and not-for-profit agencies that serve kinship caregivers—relatives or other close adults caring for children—so they can receive legal help in matters such as custody, guardianship, child support, abuse and neglect, adoption, public benefits, and foster care certification. The bill also requires the program to establish and coordinate a statewide kinship information and referral network. To support the program, OCFS would be required to provide at least $8 million annually in grants to eligible nonprofit legal services organizations and agencies serving kinship caregivers. A portion of that funding, capped at 15 percent per organization, could be used for coordination, data collection, task force meetings, technical assistance, and preparing required reports. The commissioner of children and family services would also have to report to legislative fiscal committee chairs by October 1, 2026, and every two years thereafter, on program selection, administration, the number of caregivers served, case outcomes, and whether matters were resolved through settlement or administrative/judicial decision.

Impact

The bill would amend the Executive Law by adding a new section establishing a state-funded legal services infrastructure for kinship caregivers. It would expand OCFS’s responsibilities by creating a grant program, coordinating a statewide referral network, and requiring ongoing reporting to the Legislature. The measure would affect nonprofit legal aid providers, kinship caregiver families, and children in informal or relative care arrangements by improving access to counsel in family law, benefits, and child welfare matters.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the bill appears to be framed positively as a support measure for kinship families and access to justice. Its stated purpose suggests likely support from child welfare advocates, legal aid organizations, and caregivers who need assistance navigating custody, guardianship, and public benefits systems. No contrary sentiment is documented in the supplied record.

Contention

The main potential points of contention are fiscal and administrative. The bill mandates a minimum annual appropriation of $8 million, which may raise budget concerns, and it limits up to 15 percent of funding for coordination and support functions, which could prompt discussion about overhead versus direct services. There may also be questions about how participating organizations are selected, how the statewide network is administered, and whether the program duplicates or overlaps with existing legal aid and child welfare services. No specific opposition or debate is included in the provided materials.