Requires the secretary of state to develop and mandate annual training of police department personnel and state police officers on the protocols of the address confidentiality program.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8263A
SPONSOR: Zaccaro TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to training of state
police and local police departments on the address confidentiality
program
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would require the implementation of a training program on
local and state police department's obligations and protocols related to
the Address Confidentiality Program.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. § 840 of the executive law is amended by adding a new subdi-
vision 8 to require the council in consultation with the office of
victim services, the office for the prevention of domestic violence and
the department of state to develop training policies and procedures for
police officers on the Address Confidentiality Program. The training is
mandatory for all police officers and will be incorporated into existing
training programs. In addition, the division of criminal justice
services will be required to certify that every police department in New
York State completes this training.
Section 2. § 108 of the executive law is amended to require the Secre-
tary to include in their annual report the confirmation from the divi-
sion of criminal justice services that each county received the training
materials and when the training was completed by each police department.
Section 3. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 214-j to
require the superintendent in consultation with the office of victim
services, the office for the prevention of domestic violence and the
department of state to develop training policies and procedures for all
state police officers on the Address Confidentiality Program. The train-
ing is mandatory and will be incorporated into existing training
programs. The superintendent will provide confirmation of compliance for
all new and veteran state police officers to the secretary of state.
Section 4. Effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
New York's Address Confidentiality Program provides eligible individuals
with a confidential address alternative, ensuring privacy and safety.
Participants receive an assigned Albany post office box, accepted by
state and local agencies. Private entities may voluntarily recognize
this address. Pursuant to the Address Confidentiality Program, court-re-
lated documents may be submitted to the Secretary of State's Albany
office for confidential forwarding via certified mail to program partic-
ipants' designated addresses.
The program serves victims of domestic violence, stalking, sexual
offense, and human trafficking relocating for safety, and their house-
hold members. Additionally, reproductive healthcare providers, employ-
ees, volunteers, patients, and their immediate family members are eligi-
ble.
Requiring a training program on the local and state police department's
obligations and protocols related to the Address Confidentiality Program
(ACP) is crucial for ensuring victim safety, legal compliance, and
consistent implementation. Proper training prevents police officers from
inadvertently compromising a victim's safety by disclosing their confi-
dential address. It also promotes consistent implementation of ACP
protocols across different police departments and jurisdictions, which
is essential for providing victims with the same level of protection
regardless of where they live in New York State. This legislation can
help ensure that police departments prioritize victim safety and provide
effective support to victims of domestic violence, stalking, and sexual
assault.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred and eightieth day after it
shall have become law
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8263--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 5, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ZACCARO, SHIMSKY, REYES, K. BROWN -- read once
and referred to the Committee on Codes -- reported and referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to training of state
police and local police departments on the address confidentiality
program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 840 of the executive law is amended by adding a new
2 subdivision 9 to read as follows:
3 9. (a) The council, in coordination with the office of victim
4 services, the office for the prevention of domestic violence and the
5 secretary of state, shall promulgate policies and procedures with regard
6 to training on the address confidentiality program pursuant to section
7 one hundred eight of this chapter which shall include, but not limited
8 to:
9 (i) training on the purpose and benefits of the address confidentiali-
10 ty program;
11 (ii) procedures for identifying and assisting victims who may be
12 eligible for such program;
13 (iii) guidelines for maintaining confidentiality and handling sensi-
14 tive information related to program participants; and
15 (iv) protocols for coordinating with the office of victim services and
16 other agencies to provide support services to program participants.
17 (b) Such training shall be required for all police officers and shall
18 be incorporated into existing training programs including, but not
19 limited to, the basic course for police officers and in-service
20 programs.
21 (c) The division of criminal justice services shall provide confirma-
22 tion of compliance with such training requirement for all police depart-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10133-04-5
A. 8263--A 2
1 ments to the secretary of state pursuant to section one hundred eight of
2 this chapter.
3 § 2. Subdivision 8 of section 108 of the executive law, as added by
4 chapter 502 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
5 8. Report to the legislature. The secretary shall submit to the legis-
6 lature, no later than February first of each year, a report that
7 includes for each county, the total number of applications received, the
8 total number of persons participating in the program established by this
9 section during the previous calendar year and the total number of pieces
10 of mail forwarded to program participants during the previous calendar
11 year. The report shall include confirmation from the division of crimi-
12 nal justice services of the date that each county received the training
13 materials and when the training was completed by each police department;
14 and confirmation from the superintendent of state police that training
15 was completed by all state police officers.
16 § 3. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 214-j to
17 read as follows:
18 § 214-j. Address confidentiality program training. (a) The superinten-
19 dent, in coordination with the office of victim services, the office for
20 the prevention of domestic violence and the secretary of state, shall
21 promulgate policies and procedures with regard to training on the
22 address confidentiality program pursuant to section one hundred eight of
23 this chapter which shall include, but not be limited to:
24 (i) training on the purpose and benefits of the address confidentiali-
25 ty program;
26 (ii) procedures for identifying and assisting victims who may be
27 eligible for such program;
28 (iii) guidelines for maintaining confidentiality and handling sensi-
29 tive information related to program participants; and
30 (iv) protocols for coordinating with the office of victim services and
31 other agencies to provide support services to program participants.
32 (b) Such training shall be required for all state police officers and
33 shall be incorporated into existing training programs.
34 (c) The superintendent shall provide confirmation of compliance with
35 such training requirement for all new and veteran state police officers
36 to the secretary of state pursuant to section one hundred eight of this
37 chapter.
38 § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
39 it shall have become a law.
