On Friday, Governor Hochul signed the Confidential Reporting Bill (S550A/A66A) into law, taking a critical step forward in curbing the harmful misuse of New York’s child abuse hotline and bringing greater accountability to the family regulation system.
The following is a statement from Washcarina Martinez Alonzo, Senior Staff Attorney at Legal Services NYC and co-author of the report, The Far-Reaching Impact of ACS’s Discriminatory Investigations on Women of Color and Survivors of Gender-Based Violence.
“For too long, anonymous reporting has fueled false and retaliatory calls—often weaponized against women of color by abusive partners, predatory landlords and others acting out of bias. Even when unfounded, these reports can trigger traumatic investigations that lead to long-term economic harm, including barriers to employment for women of color in communities already facing heightened surveillance and economic hardship. This is especially the case for survivors of domestic violence who are disproportionately represented in child welfare investigations.
“Ending anonymous reporting is a necessary and overdue step toward reducing the surveillance and punishment of Black and Brown mothers under the guise of child protection. This law will help prevent retaliation and bias from being funneled into a system that has long kept vulnerable people trapped in cycles of violence and poverty.
“Legal Services NYC will continue to advocate for improvements to New York’s reporting system—including narrowing vague definitions of neglect, strengthening confidentiality protections, and investing in legal and community-based supports that truly keep families safe and whole.”
To read LSNYC’s report, please visit here.
Featured image credit: DepositPhotos.com
