New York State Bar Association Commends Governor for Making the Child Abuse Reporting System More Fair

New York State Bar Association Commends Governor for Making the Child Abuse Reporting System More Fair

12.22.2025

By Susan DeSantis

New York State Bar Association President Kathleen Sweet issued the following statement about the approval of S550-A/A66-A:

“Anonymous reporting to the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Mistreatment is a flawed policy that harms thousands of New York families each year. The New York State Bar Association’s governing body, the House of Delegates, adopted a report recommending that the Legislature end this unjust practice. While we still believe that child abuse reporters should be protected by confidentiality, they should not be protected by anonymity. The New York State Bar Association commends the bill’s sponsors, Assembly Member Andrew Hevesi and Senator Jabari Brisport, and Gov. Kathy Hochul for their efforts to make the child abuse reporting system fairer.”