A 6398 New York Assembly · 2025 Regular Session

Creates the New York Civil Gideon Act

This bill establishes the "New York Civil Gideon Act," creating a right to free legal representation in specific civil cases for low-income New Yorkers facing issues like housing, family disputes, and health access. It directly affects vulnerable residents whose unmet legal needs often lead to homelessness, disrupted education, or worsened health outcomes. Key mechanisms include forming an 11-member commission to oversee implementation, designating legal services providers as the "lead agency" for referrals and eligibility, and requiring courts to partner with these agencies to ensure meaningful access to justice. The bill aims to address systemic gaps where 80% of low-income New Yorkers' civil legal needs currently go unmet.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Mar 4, 2025 Last action Jan 7, 2026
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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
2
Key actions
0
Committee
2
Jan 7, 2026
Committee
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Committee
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Latrice Walker
Latrice Walker
DDemocratic
NY
55