S 6244 New York Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Enacts the "Lieutenant Joseph Banish mental health act"

Summary

Enacts the "Lieutenant Joseph Banish mental health act" which establishes a law enforcement peer support program to provide confidentiality for communications arising out of law enforcement peer support counseling; defines terms; provides exceptions for when a peer support communication may be disclosed.

Sub-Topics: Mental Health Law Enforcement

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Assembly Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 7, 2025 Last action Jun 10, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

S6244 → S6244A · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to add multiple sponsors and reflect its passage through the Senate with amendments. The substantive policy changes significantly simplified the confidentiality exceptions for law enforcement peer support counseling, reducing the number of specific scenarios where information must be disclosed and clarifying the language around threats and abuse reporting.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on law enforcement peer support counseling confidentiality, but the exceptions to confidentiality were streamlined and reorganized.

TECHNICAL

Added multiple Senate sponsors and updated the bill status to reflect Senate passage and amendment.

REQUIREMENT

Simplified confidentiality exceptions from six detailed subcategories to three main categories: (1) suicide/self-harm threats, (2) threats of bodily harm or death, and (3) child abuse/neglect information.

Added a new provision allowing peer support participants to consent to disclosure of their own communications at any time.

Reorganized the structure of confidentiality exceptions to separate mandatory disclosures from discretionary ones, making the rules clearer for practitioners.

DEFINITION

Slightly reworded the definition of peer support specialist training to improve clarity while maintaining the same substantive requirements.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 29, 2025

How they voted

61–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 62

Apr 29, 2025

D Democratic40

39 Yea 1

97% Yea

R Republican22

22 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jun 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

AMENDED ON THIRD READING 6244A

upper

Apr 29, 2025

Committee

REFERRED TO JUDICIARY

lower

Apr 29, 2025

Upper · Passed

PASSED SENATE

upper

Mar 7, 2025

Committee

REFERRED TO JUDICIARY

upper

1 primary · 11 co-sponsors