Criminal Justice

passed · New York · Senate May 11, 2026

S 9848: Relates to the contents of claims

This bill modifies the rules for filing lawsuits in the Court of Claims by removing the strict requirement for detailed specificity in certain sexual offense cases. It directly affects individuals seeking legal relief for injuries caused by sexual crimes against children or adults, as well as the parties being sued. Under the new provisions, plaintiffs alleging harm from specific sexual offenses or incest no longer need to provide the same level of detailed initial information as required in other types of claims. The changes apply immediately to new lawsuits, pending cases, and some previously dismissed cases that are currently being appealed.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill removes barriers to filing lawsuits for sexual offenses, facilitating justice for victims and holding perpetrators accountable.80% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

Track

passed · New York · Senate May 11, 2026

S 4389: Ensures that color vision requirements for appointment of police officers are tailored to only eliminate individuals with extreme color vision deficiencies from eligibility

Ensures that color vision requirements for appointment of police officers are tailored to only eliminate individuals with extreme color vision deficiencies from eligibility; provides methods under which an individual can meet such requirements after failing to meet an initial color vision standard.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeTailors police hiring color vision requirements to reduce unnecessary barriers, aligning with civil rights protections in law enforcement recruitment.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

Track

passed · New York · Senate May 6, 2026

S 319: Relates to educational leave for eligible incarcerated individuals

Provides that for the purposes of educational leave, an eligible incarcerated individual shall include an incarcerated individual who is within two years of being an eligible incarcerated individual.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill expands educational leave eligibility for incarcerated individuals, promoting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism - key aspects of criminal justice reform in corrections.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands educational access for incarcerated individuals by extending eligibility for educational leave, aligning with 'educational access' under the topic description.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

Track

passed · New York · Senate May 6, 2026

S 1551: Relates to prohibiting the release of consumption data

Prohibits the release of a consumer's electrical or gas consumption data to any police officer, or private, local, state or federal law enforcement entity without a judicial court-ordered subpoena, warrant or the consumer's written consent.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProhibits warrantless law enforcement access to consumer data, protecting civil rights and limiting overreach in criminal investigations.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill explicitly protects consumer data privacy by requiring warrants/consent for energy consumption data disclosure, directly aligning with data privacy indicators in technology policy.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

Track

passed · New York · Senate May 6, 2026

S 4763: Ensures that parents and guardians of youth are notified when their child is arrested

Relates to the issuance of arrest warrants upon a youth who is still in high school; provides for the police officer to make a reasonable effort to notify the parent or other person legally responsible for the care of such youth or with whom the youth is domiciled that the youth has been arrested; provides that the police officer need not notify the parent or other person legally responsible when such youth is not also a juvenile offender and the notification would endanger the health and safety of such youth; amends provisions relating to sexually exploited children to include persons under the age of nineteen.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires police to notify parents/guardians of arrested youth (up to 19), enhancing family involvement and protecting minors' rights within the justice system.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

Track

passed · New York · Senate May 5, 2026

S 3158: Adds animal fighting to the definition of criminal activity for purposes of enterprise corruption crimes

This bill amends New York's Penal Law to explicitly include animal fighting as a qualifying felony for enterprise corruption charges. It directly affects individuals or groups operating animal fighting rings, as their activities will now count as "criminal activity" under enterprise corruption statutes. The key change adds "section three hundred fifty-one of the agriculture and markets law relating to animal fighting" to the list of felonies that trigger enterprise corruption penalties. This expands the scope of enterprise corruption prosecutions to cover animal fighting operations without changing the core definition of the crime.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands enterprise corruption charges to include animal fighting, strengthening prosecution of organized crime rings under criminal justice statutes.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

Track

passed · New York · Senate May 5, 2026

S 1048: Requires public agencies to establish preliminary license application procedures to determine whether an applicant for a license would be ineligible for such license based on criminal history

Requires public agencies to establish preliminary license application procedures to determine whether an applicant for a license would be ineligible for such license based on criminal history; establishes time frames for public agencies to respond to such applications; requires public agencies to report information regarding granting licenses annually.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeMandates criminal history checks for license eligibility, potentially restricting opportunities for individuals with records, opposing reform efforts to reduce such barriers.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

Track

passed · New York · Senate May 5, 2026

S 197: Relates to the sentencing for the crime of aggravated cruelty to animals

Enacts "Tucker's law"; removes the provision that provides that any term of imprisonment for a violation of aggravated cruelty to animals may not exceed two years.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRemoves 2-year cap on animal cruelty sentencing, increasing potential prison terms. Aligns with 'increases mandatory sentences' indicator for oppose stance.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

Track

died · New York · Senate May 4, 2026

S 4525: Requires accurate interpretation of statements made by deponents with limited English proficiency in accusatory instruments and supporting depositions

Provides that an accusatory instrument or supporting deposition consisting of factual allegations by a deponent with limited English proficiency is not sufficient unless accompanied by a sworn statement from an interpreter affirming the accuracy of the English interpretation.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires sworn interpreter certification for deponent statements, protecting defendant rights and ensuring accurate legal proceedings in criminal cases.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

Track

passed both · New York · Assembly May 4, 2026

A 1422: Requires accurate interpretation of statements made by deponents with limited English proficiency in accusatory instruments and supporting depositions

Provides that an accusatory instrument or supporting deposition consisting of factual allegations by a deponent with limited English proficiency is not sufficient unless accompanied by a sworn statement from an interpreter affirming the accuracy of the English interpretation.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires sworn interpreter statements to prevent misinterpretation of deponents' statements, protecting defendant rights and ensuring fair court proceedings in criminal cases.85% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationEnsures accurate interpretation for non-English speakers in legal proceedings, preventing misrepresentation that could harm immigrant rights in accusatory instruments.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

Track