New York Assembly Bill A08297

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/12/25
• Refer: 5/12/25
• Report Pass: 5/20/25
• Refer: 5/20/25
• Report Pass: 6/16/25
• Refer: 6/16/25
• Report Pass: 6/17/25

Caption

Establishes a pilot program to provide alternative dispute resolution and navigator services to litigants in child support matters in the family court under the auspices of the community dispute resolution center program.

Summary

A08297 establishes a pilot program in New York family courts to provide alternative dispute resolution services and navigator assistance in child support cases. The bill authorizes the chief administrator of the courts to create the program under the community dispute resolution center program, with pilot sites in at least two counties in New York City and at least one additional county elsewhere in the state. The program would be available at no cost to litigants and would include culturally sensitive services and language access support. Under the bill, when child support cases begin in participating counties, the court must inform the parties about the program and their right to counsel, and generally refer consenting parties to the pilot unless the case is screened out as inappropriate, including for domestic violence concerns. Before referral, the court must issue a preliminary child support order in most cases and require financial disclosures. If the parties reach agreement, the matter returns to family court for approval; if not, the case returns for a regular hearing. The bill also requires mediators and facilitators to be trained in child support law and related financial issues, and allows electronic participation and document exchange.

Impact

The bill amends the Family Court Act and Judiciary Law to create a new, court-connected pilot structure for resolving child support disputes and assisting litigants with case navigation. It adds a new subdivision to Family Court Act section 425, modifies Judiciary Law provisions governing community dispute resolution centers, and adjusts funding language so state support can be used for the pilot program, potentially supplemented by federal Title IV-D funds. It also clarifies that agreements reached through the pilot must be submitted to family court for approval, and that the pilot is separate from the ordinary funding formula for dispute resolution centers.

Sentiment

The available voting history shows strong, unanimous support in committee, with favorable votes in the Assembly Judiciary Committee, Ways and Means Committee, and Rules Committee and no recorded opposition. The bill’s framing suggests a broadly positive reception as a service-oriented reform intended to improve access, efficiency, and support for child support litigants. No committee transcript excerpts were provided, so there is no recorded floor or committee debate to indicate broader disagreement.

Contention

The main policy issues embedded in the bill are not partisan conflict points in the available record, but practical safeguards and implementation details. The bill addresses domestic violence screening by allowing cases to be deemed inappropriate for referral, which is an important protection for some advocates and a likely condition for support. Other notable considerations include whether the pilot will have sufficient funding, whether enough trained mediators and financial experts will be available, how language access and cultural competency will be delivered, and whether mandatory referrals could affect litigants’ access to counsel or the pace of child support adjudication.