Directs the department of corrections and community supervision 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.
This bill establishes the New York State Office of Gun Violence Prevention and a Gun Violence Advisory Council. The office coordinates state, local, and federal efforts to prevent gun violence, centralizes grant programs, improves data collection on firearm incidents, and runs public education campaigns. The advisory council - comprising survivors, community leaders, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and other stakeholders - provides guidance to the office. These entities will work with state agencies like health, education, and public safety departments to develop and implement gun violence prevention strategies across New York.
Requires institutions and local correctional facilities to adhere to certain standards regarding the surveillance of incarcerated individuals and detainees, and access to such surveillance recordings.
Bill S 4521, known as the "criminal forfeiture process act," replaces the existing process for the criminal forfeiture of property. It directly affects individuals whose property is linked to specific felony offenses, such as controlled substance, cannabis, prostitution, or driving under the influence crimes, and prohibits civil forfeiture under this article. The bill requires a criminal conviction for property to be forfeited, with the forfeiture proceeding taking place as part of the criminal trial. It also includes provisions to protect the rights of "innocent owners" and "secured interest holders" of property that might otherwise be subject to seizure.
Provides for the review of policies and practices pertaining to infectious disease outbreaks in correctional facilities, including the treatment and prevention of the disease among incarcerated individuals and staff.
This bill authorizes the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) to conduct a study on the treatment and conditions of aging prison populations. The study will profile current elderly incarcerated individuals, project future populations, and examine factors contributing to their growth. It will also assess the adequacy of specialized housing, medical care, and programs provided to meet their unique needs, such as accessibility and accommodations for diminished capacity. DOCCS must report its findings, conclusions, and legislative recommendations to the governor and legislature within one year.
Establishes a youth outreach department within the state police, city, village, town, and district police departments, and sheriff departments for the purposes of designing and carrying out youth activities organized by the department.
This bill creates a new criminal offense called "vehicular homicide" for drivers who cause another person's death through reckless conduct showing extreme disregard for human life. It directly affects drivers whose actions - like severe speeding or ignoring traffic signals - result in fatalities, even if they didn’t intend to cause death. The law classifies vehicular homicide as a class B felony, the same penalty as second-degree murder in New York, making it a serious criminal charge. This change would replace or add to existing laws for deaths caused by negligent or reckless driving.
Bill S 3511 proposes to increase the maximum possible prison sentence for individuals convicted of Class A and unclassified misdemeanors. It amends the penal law to change the maximum definite sentence for these crimes from 364 days to one year. The bill also repeals a specific subdivision within the penal law related to misdemeanor sentencing. This change would allow courts to impose slightly longer jail terms for these particular offenses.
This bill (S 4160) requires state correctional facilities to provide free voice communication services (like phone calls) to incarcerated individuals, with no cost to the person initiating or receiving the call. It prohibits state agencies from charging fees or generating revenue from these communication services and mandates that in-person visit programs remain available - digital services cannot replace them. The law repeals an existing correction law section and takes effect April 1, 2026, applying to new or renewed communication contracts after that date. It directly affects incarcerated people in state prisons and youth detention centers by guaranteeing free access to basic voice communication.
