S 8106 New York Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Establishes the office of chief medical examiner; repealer

Bill S 8106 establishes an independent Office of Chief Medical Examiner within the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. This office will investigate all deaths occurring in correctional facilities, directly affecting individuals who die while in custody. The Chief Medical Examiner and their team, all certified forensic pathologists, will conduct independent autopsies and forensic investigations for these deaths. The office is also required to publish public annual reports detailing incarcerated individual deaths and preliminary death reports within 90 days of a death. Copies of these reports will be delivered to the appropriate district attorney, attorney general, commissioner, and legislature.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

May 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced May 15, 2025 Last action May 8, 2026

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What changed between versions

S8106 → S8106A · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to add new co-sponsors and update its legislative status. The core policy text was significantly rewritten to shift the Office of Chief Medical Examiner from the Department of Corrections to the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision commission. The new version expands the office's authority to investigate all incarcerated deaths, mandates immediate on-scene reporting, and requires video recording of interactions with deceased bodies to ensure transparency.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include the County Law for repeal purposes, and the office's jurisdiction was broadened to cover all incarcerated individuals under the department's custody rather than just those in correctional facilities.

REQUIREMENT

The office's staffing was reduced from eight associate examiners to three full-time employees, but the chief examiner gained the authority to hire additional staff as needed.

The office was moved from the Department of Corrections to the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision commission.

Administrators must immediately report all deaths to the office, which now has the authority to investigate every death of an incarcerated individual.

New protocols require police to document body conditions before moving remains and to record all interactions with deceased bodies using cameras.

Preliminary death reports must now be published on the office's website within ninety days of a death.

The office must provide autopsy and toxicology reports to the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs regarding deaths in mental health and child services facilities.

Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 8, 2026

Upper · Passed

PRINT NUMBER 8106A

upper

May 8, 2026

Upper · Passed

AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO FINANCE

upper

Mar 17, 2026

Committee

REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE

upper

Jan 7, 2026

Committee

REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTION

upper

May 15, 2025

Committee

REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTION

upper

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors