Assembly OKs Private School Child Abuse Reporting Bill

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The Democrat-controlled state Assembly has passed legislation that would mandate New York private schools to require employees and volunteers to report allegations of staff members abusing students.

Private schools currently aren't included in the state law requiring public schools to immediately report any allegations that a student has been sexually abused by a staff member or volunteer "in an educational setting."

The measure, sponsored by Queens Democrat Catherine Nolan, would include private schools in the statutory reporting requirements.

Although the legislation passed earlier this week doesn't specifically mention sexual abuse, the measure was prompted by recent reports of decades of alleged inappropriate behavior by faculty at two prestigious private high schools in upstate New York.

The measure now goes to the Republican-led Senate, where a similar bill sponsored by Sen. Patrick Gallivan, R-Elma, has support.