New York Senate Bill S09498

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/18/26
• Refer: 3/18/26
• Report Pass: 5/19/26

Caption

Directs the office of victim services, in consultation with the office for the prevention of domestic violence, to establish a statewide supervised visitation initiative including culturally sensitive services that provide language access for those who need it and that are affordable for those with limited means to pay; requires the submission of regular assessments and reports.

Summary

This bill would add a new section to the Social Services Law to create a statewide supervised visitation initiative for safe and structured parenting time. The Legislature finds that supervised visitation is often necessary to protect children and families in family offense, child protective, custody, and visitation matters, especially where family violence, mental health concerns, or other safety issues are present. The bill directs the Office of Victim Services, in consultation with the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, to establish and support these programs using available grant funds. The initiative would require county and New York City assessments of local need, plans to meet that need, and data collection on usage and effectiveness. The bill contemplates culturally sensitive services, language access, affordability for low-income families, possible fee waivers, and the use of private nonprofit providers or multi-county programs where appropriate. It also requires supervised visitation programs to comply with court orders and to provide reports to the court when directed.

Impact

The bill would amend the Social Services Law by adding section 398-g and would create new administrative duties for the Office of Victim Services and local governments. Counties and New York City would need to assess supervised visitation needs annually, incorporate plans into district-wide child welfare services plans, and report on program scope, costs, fee waivers, and effectiveness. The measure would also authorize regulations, court reporting, and state oversight of supervised visitation services, potentially expanding access to family court-ordered visitation supports across the state.

Sentiment

The bill appears broadly supportive and child-safety oriented, with its stated purpose focused on protecting families and improving access to supervised visitation where it is needed. The text emphasizes affordability, language access, and culturally sensitive services, suggesting an intent to make programs more usable for diverse and low-income families. No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no recorded opposition or formal legislative debate reflected in the available materials.

Contention

The main policy tensions implied by the bill are likely funding, implementation capacity, and local administrative burden. Because the initiative depends on grant funds appropriated by the state, questions may arise about whether sufficient funding exists to establish programs in counties that currently lack them and to expand capacity where demand exceeds supply. Counties and New York City would also have to prepare annual needs assessments, plans, and data reporting, which could be viewed as an added administrative obligation. Another possible point of concern is how to ensure geographic accessibility, fee waivers, and consistent service quality across counties while relying partly on nonprofit or multi-county arrangements.