New York S 10320: Establishes a portable clearance passport program to satisfy certain background checks

Bill Text

Bill Search and Legislative Information | New York State Assembly 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

 Skip to main content 

 New York State Assembly

 Speaker Carl E. Heastie

 --> 
 --> 

 --> 

• 
 Assembly Members 

• 
 Legislative Info 

• 
 Public Hearings 

• 
 Speaker's Press 

• 
 Assembly Reports 

• 
 Committees & More 

• Bill Search Home
• Laws
• Legislative Calendar
• Public Hearing Schedule
• Assembly Calendars
• Assembly Committee Agenda 

 Javascript must be enabled to properly view this page. 

 Bill No.: 

• Summary 
• Actions 
• Committee&nbspVotes 
• Floor&nbspVotes 
• Memo 
• Text 
• LFIN 
• Chamber&nbspVideo/Transcript 
S10320 Summary:

BILL NOS10320 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A11424

&nbsp

SPONSORFAHY

&nbsp

COSPNSR

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Add Art 11-A §§500 - 505, Soc Serv L; amd §553, Exec L; add §2899-b, Pub Health L

&nbsp

Directs the commissioner of the office of children and family services to develop a portable clearance passport program to provide a uniform process for conducting background checks for employment at certain participating agencies.

Go to top S10320 Actions:

BILL NOS10320 

&nbsp

05/13/2026REFERRED TO SOCIAL SERVICES

Go to topS10320 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS10320 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS10320 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 10320

 IN SENATE

 May 13, 2026
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. FAHY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services

 AN ACT to amend the social services law, the executive law and the
 public health law, in relation to establishing a portable clearance
 passport program to satisfy certain background checks

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new article
 2 11-A to read as follows:
 3 ARTICLE 11-A
 4 PORTABLE CLEARANCE PASSPORT
 5 Section 500. Definitions.
 6 501. Portable clearance passport program.
 7 502. Acceptance of portable clearance passport.
 8 503. Information systems; confidentiality.
 9 504. Duration; renewal; revocation.
 10 505. Rules and regulations.
 11 § 500. Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms shall
 12 have the following meanings:
 13 1. "Portable clearance passport" or "passport" shall mean a credential
 14 issued by the commissioner verifying that an individual has satisfied
 15 applicable background check requirements for employment by covered
 16 providers.
 17 2. "Participating agency" shall mean the justice center for the
 18 protection of people with special needs, the office of children and
 19 family services, the department of health, the office of mental health,
 20 the office for people with developmental disabilities, the state educa-
 21 tion department, or any other agency designated by the commissioner.
 22 3. "Covered provider" shall mean any provider licensed, certified,
 23 operated, or otherwise regulated by a participating agency that requires
 24 background checks for employees or prospective employees.
 25 4. "Commissioner" shall mean the commissioner of the office of chil-
 26 dren and family services, in consultation with participating agencies.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD15851-01-6

 S. 10320 2

 1 § 501. Portable clearance passport program. 1. The commissioner shall
 2 establish a portable clearance passport program.
 3 2. The program established under subdivision one of this section
 4 shall:
 5 (a) provide for a uniform process for conducting background checks
 6 applicable to participating agencies;
 7 (b) provide for the issuance of a portable clearance passport to any
 8 individual who has satisfied the requirements of background checks
 9 conducted in accordance with paragraph (a) of this subdivision; and
 10 (c) ensure that passports are able to be used by covered providers to
 11 verify eligibility for employment.
 12 § 502. Acceptance of portable clearance passport. 1. Notwithstanding
 13 any other provision of law, a participating agency and any covered
 14 provider shall accept a valid portable clearance passport in lieu of
 15 duplicative background check requirements.
 16 2. Nothing in this article shall be construed to prohibit a partic-
 17 ipating agency from requiring additional screening where:
 18 (a) required by federal law; or
 19 (b) a participating agency determines that additional information is
 20 necessary to protect the health or safety of individuals receiving
 21 services under this chapter.
 22 § 503. Information systems; confidentiality. 1. The commissioner shall
 23 establish or designate a secure electronic system for the purpose of
 24 maintaining and verifying portable clearance passports.
 25 2. The sys