Issue Position: Fighting Against Child Abuse

Issue Position

When children in our area are at risk, Tim Kennedy is there to stand up for them.

He championed Jay J's law to strengthen pentalties against repeat child abusers and make sure those who harm our most vulnerable are brought to justice.
When it was clear our child welfare system was failing families, he authored a set of reforms to improve the investigations of abuse and neglect.
And he has secured millions in funding for Child Advocacy Centers to improve help for those who need it most.

After meeting the family of Jay J. Bolvin and hearing of the severe abuse young Jay J. suffered at the hand of his own father -- a repeat child abuser, Tim took action to ensure that repeat offenders were no longer given weak sentences for such heinous crimes. He championed Jay J's Law, which protects children from child abuse by strengthening the penalties against repeat child abusers. In 2013, Jay J's law unanimously passed the Senate and Assembly and was signed into law -- a testament to Tim and the Bolvin family's hard work and advocacy.

When it was clear our child welfare system was failing families, Tim authored a series of reforms to improve the investigation of abuse and neglect. Just this year, he secured the passage of legislation that will make much needed improvements to how the statewide child abuse hotline is used to track repeated reports of abuse and neglect. Caseworkers will now have access to the in depth information they need to ensure that individuals who are being abused no longer slip through the cracks as isolated incidents.

This year, Tim secured a $2.57 million dollar increase in funding for Child Advocacy Centers in Western New York and across the state. Child Advocacy Centers play a vital role in the multi-system collaboration we use as a community to respond and prevent child abuse. It is critical they have the funding necessary to continue the work they do to protect our children. Tim also passed legislation through the Senate that would require school districts to directly notify students' parents when they receive information about a sex offender residing within the district.

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