This bill (A 9491) requires courts and mental health institutions to coordinate discharge planning for defendants in criminal cases terminated due to mental disease or defect. It mandates that courts order referrals to community services (when clinically appropriate and with consent) and dismiss charges upon termination, while institutions must track referrals and submit de-identified annual reports to state officials. The mental hygiene law office must publish annual public data on defendant outcomes, including admission rates, discharge planning, and referral patterns. The bill directly affects defendants in such cases, courts, mental health facilities, and state agencies, without altering eligibility for services or requiring referrals where consent is absent.
This bill prohibits employers - including businesses, state agencies, and political subdivisions - from using an applicant's or employee's credit history for hiring, firing, or licensing decisions. It defines "employer" broadly to cover all entities with employees, including the state. The only exception allows credit checks for high-trust positions (e.g., government roles requiring public trust) if specifically approved by a state commission. This replaces prior legislation that had similar restrictions but different wording.
Amends procedures required for the custodial interrogation of children to provide additional protections and for taking juveniles and sixteen and seventeen year olds into custody.
Enacts into law components of legislation necessary to implement an omnibus bill related to correctional services in the state of New York; requires the timely disclosure of video footage related to the death of incarcerated individuals to the attorney general's office of special investigations (Part A); requires institutions and local correctional facilities to adhere to certain standards regarding the camera coverage of incarcerated individuals and detainees, and access to such camera recordings (Part B); provides notice of the death of an incarcerated individual occurring in the custody of the department of corrections and community supervision; requires the department to promptly notify the next of kin and any other person designated as the representative of any incarcerated individual whose death takes place during custody (Part C); directs the state commission of correction to conduct a comprehensive study on deaths in correctional facilities within New York state to provide data-driven insights and recommendations to improve prison conditions, healthcare, and policies to prevent future tragedies (Part D); establishes the Terry Cooper autopsy accountability act requiring autopsy reports to include all photographs of the body, microscopic slides, and post-mortem x-rays taken by, at the direction of, or reviewed by the person performing the autopsy (Part E); relates to conflicts within the office of special investigation; provides that if the office of the attorney general has a conflict representing state employees in civil litigation, the attorney general may designate a deputy attorney general or assistant attorney general to act in their place; requires the attorney general to establish procedures to screen off certain records (part F); requires the commissioner of corrections and community supervision to collect and report on data from the office of special investigations regarding complaints received by such office in the previous quarter (Part G); increases the number of members on the state commission of correction; provides for the manner of confirmation of such members (Part H); relates to correctional facility visits by the correctional association; authorizes the correctional association to visit correctional facilities at any time with 24 hours advance notice; grants the correctional association access to certain records and information of correctional facilities (Part I); relates to the tolling of statute of limitations for individuals in state custody; provides that with respect to state action brought by anyone to recover damages for physical, psychological, or other injury or condition suffered while in state custody, the time in which such action must commence shall be extended to three years after such person is released from such custody (Part J).
Enacts the "keep police radio public act"; ensures that, except for sensitive information, all radio communications are accessible to emergency services organizations and professional journalists.
Authorizes the removal of police officer candidates from an eligible list when such candidate does not meet psychological fitness requirements or lacks good moral character standards.
Requires that following the acquittal after trial or the sentencing of any defendant for a felony, the district attorney, or their designee, shall mail a written summary of the disposition of such felony to any victim who was not present at the time that the defendant was sentenced or acquitted after trial.
Requires police officers to take temporary custody of firearms for not less than one hundred twenty hours when responding to reports of family violence.
Provides for certain victim statements to be taken at their workplace instead of the police department where such workplace was the scene of the crime and is a hospital, emergency medical facility, nursing home or residential health care facility.
Directs the superintendent of state police, in consultation with the office of children and family services, shall develop, maintain and disseminate to all members of the state police written policies and procedures, regarding child-sensitive arrest practices.
