Citing last week's arrest during a drug investigation of a Hempstead woman who hid thousands of dollars in her 10-month-old baby's diaper, State Senator Michael Balboni, Assemblyman Thomas DiNapoli and the Nassau County Police Department called for passage of legislation stiffening penalties for parents who endanger their children's lives by possessing or selling drugs in their households.

Under a bill sponsored by Balboni and Assemblyman DiNapoli, any guardian or custodial parent who possesses or deals drugs on premises where their children reside would be charged with the newly-created crime of "unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree," a class E felony.

"A home should be a refuge for a child, not a battleground," said Balboni, member of the Senate Committee on Children and Families. "Children should not be subjected to the stressful and turbulent influences of drugs, so we must be responsive to the special needs of these children and safeguard their physical and emotional health."

Balboni noted that children exposed to the narcotics and/or drug-related violence in their homes are often at risk of emotional neglect and physical abuse. By criminalizing the behavior of parents who subject their children to the troubling circumstances surrounding the illicit drug culture, social workers and law enforcement personnel will be better able to protect at-risk children.

The incident in Hempstead highlights a disturbing trend of utilizing children, seemingly without regard for their welfare, in the furtherance of the illicit drug trade. "The sad reality of the drug trade is that diapers now function as piggy banks for drug money, and teddy bears serve as suitcases to transport illegal drugs," added Balboni.

Balboni's proposed law looks to penalize parents and guardians who, because of their illicit drug activity, create an environment in their homes that is dangerous to the children who live there.