Call to Action: Please help the Genealogy Federation of Long Island and Reclaim the Records assist you in getting access to important genealogical records.
Show your support of these Bills in the New York State Senate and Assembly. A simple way to show support is by registering an account on the NYS Senate website and sending an “Aye” to your Senator. You can contact your Representatives in the Assembly by email asking for their support.
NYS Senate Bill S8903 relates to gaining access to the records of former patients interred at present and former state mental health hospital cemeteries.
https://legislation.nysenate.gov/pdf/bills/2025/S8903
NYS Senate Bill 4713A relates to allowing direct descendants of a patient who has been deceased for a period of fifty years or longer to access such patients’ clinical records.
https://legislation.nysenate.gov/pdf/bills/2025/S4713
NYS Assembly 3733-A same asS04713-A
Designates records and information relating to a patient who has been deceased for a period of fifty years or longer as historic records no longer subject to privacy protections
What you can do:
Register for an account on the NYS Senate website:
https://www.nysenate.gov/user/register
A. Register for an account
B. The website will identify your local representative
C. Search the Bill “S8903” and click on whether you support it “Aye” or “Nay”
Please include a message in support, a personal story is best.
D. Ask them to support this Bill
NYS Assembly Website: https://nyassembly.gov/
Look up your representative and email them showing your support of these bills.