S 505 New York Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Relates to concealment and/or mutilation of a human corpse

This bill makes it a class E felony to intentionally hide, alter, damage, or destroy a human body or body part with the purpose of preventing it from being used as evidence in legal proceedings (e.g., court cases, autopsies, or criminal investigations). It specifically excludes funeral directors, embalmers, and organ donation activities under existing public health law from this prohibition. The law also adds this offense to criteria affecting bail decisions in criminal cases, but its core focus is defining the crime itself. The policy change directly affects individuals who might tamper with remains to obstruct justice, while protecting standard funeral and medical practices.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 8, 2025 Last action Jan 7, 2026
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Total actions
2
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0
Committee
2
Jan 7, 2026
Committee
REFERRED TO CODES
upper
Jan 8, 2025
Committee
REFERRED TO CODES
upper
1 primary · 5 co-sponsors

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