Requires the secretary of state to develop and mandate annual training of police department personnel 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: A8263
SPONSOR: Zaccaro TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to training of 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 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, including its
purpose, identifying eligible victims, maintaining confidentiality, and
coordinating support services. 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 manda-
tory Address Confidentiality Program 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. 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
offenses, 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 local 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 inadvert-
ently compromising a victim's safety by disclosing their confidential
address. It also promotes consistent implementation of ACP protocols
across different police departments and jurisdictions, which is essen-
tial 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 immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8263
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 5, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ZACCARO -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to training of 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 8 to read as follows:
3 8. (a) The council, in coordination with the office of victim
4 services, the office for the prevention of domestic violence and the
5 department of state, shall promulgate policies and procedures with
6 regard to training on the address confidentiality program pursuant to
7 section one hundred eight of this chapter which shall include, but not
8 limited 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-
23 ments to the secretary of state pursuant to section one hundred eight of
24 this chapter.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10133-03-5
A. 8263 2
1 § 2. Subdivision 8 of section 108 of the executive law, as added by
2 chapter 502 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
3 8. Report to the legislature. The secretary shall submit to the legis-
4 lature, no later than February first of each year, a report that
5 includes for each county, the total number of applications received, the
6 total number of persons participating in the program established by this
7 section during the previous calendar year and the total number of pieces
8 of mail forwarded to program participants during the previous calendar
9 year. The report shall include confirmation from the division of crimi-
10 nal justice services of the date that each county received the training
11 materials and when the training was completed by each police department.
12 § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
13 it shall have become a law.
