Senator Michael Balboni (R/C-Mineola) announced that a bill (S.2267) he sponsored to protect New York State's children has passed in the Senate. The bill would create a new crime of unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree when parents or guardians possess or sell drugs in a household where their children reside.

"A home should be a refuge for a child, not a battleground," said Balboni. "Parents who endanger the welfare of their children by exposing them to drugs should be held accountable for their neglectful behavior, and subject to stiff penalties."

Senator Balboni noted that children exposed to 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.

"Children whose daily lives are subject to the stressful and turbulent influences of drugs deserve better. We must be responsive to the special needs of these children and safeguard their interests," said Senator Balboni.

Additional legislation passed by the Senate would:

* Make a presumption that the taking of a child in violation of a custody or visitation order is known by the offender to be a wrongful act and therefore, subject to felony charges. This would allow the victimized parent to access the national resources of the FBI to search for the child and the abductor. (S.1830).

* Require the district attorney to notify the local child protective agency upon conviction of any person at least 18 years of age for a crime committed against a child (S.2352).

* Add regional state park police to the list of law enforcement agencies that may obtain reports of child abuse or maltreatment from the statewide central register. (S.1828).

The bills have been sent to the assembly for consideration.