Criminal Justice

passed · New York · Senate Apr 28, 2026

S 6750: Relates to forfeiture of a beneficiary's right to benefits upon conviction of a family offense

This bill allows retired New York state employees to change their designated beneficiaries if that beneficiary was convicted of a family offense (such as domestic violence) and the retiree was the complainant in the case. Retirees have 180 days from the conviction date to submit a written request to the retirement system to update their beneficiary or election. The law applies to all retirement systems covered under the state’s retirement and social security laws, including public education and city employee plans. The comptroller must notify retirees about this provision and create implementing rules. It directly affects retirees who are complainants in family offense cases involving their current beneficiaries.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill protects victims of family offenses by allowing beneficiary changes, advancing civil rights within criminal justice system92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · New York · Senate Apr 28, 2026

S 156: Relates to awards made to crime victims

Increases the amount for awards made to crime victims; specifies certain items of personal property which are necessary and essential to the welfare of a claimant.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill increases crime victim compensation and specifies essential personal property needs, directly supporting victim welfare within criminal justice system95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · New York · Senate Apr 28, 2026

S 54: Prohibits the use of intoxication of the victim as a defense in sex crimes

Prohibits the use of intoxication of the victim as a defense in sex crimes where the victim is under the extreme influence of any substance which renders them incapable of appraising or controlling such victim's conduct and incapable of clearly expressing lack of consent.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProhibits victim intoxication defense in sex crimes, strengthening victim consent protections and aligning with criminal justice reform principles.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · New York · Senate Apr 22, 2026

S 4357: Authorizes vocational training, where practicable, to incarcerated individuals on the installation of solar hot water systems for the provision of hot water to correctional facilities

Authorizes vocational training, where practicable, to incarcerated individuals on the installation of solar hot water systems for the provision of hot water to correctional facilities.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAuthorizes vocational training for incarcerated individuals, promoting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism through skills development in solar systems installation - directly aligns with criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill authorizes vocational training for installing solar hot water systems in correctional facilities, directly advancing renewable energy infrastructure through solar adoption.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentPromotes clean energy use via solar installations in facilities, reducing reliance on non-renewable energy sources.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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in committee · New York · Senate Apr 7, 2026

S 9585: Relates to sexual offense evidence collection kit procedures

Requires that all sexual offense evidence shall be kept in a locked, separate and secure area for twenty years from the date of collection or until the victim's fortieth birthday, whichever is later; makes other sexual offense evidence collection kit procedures.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill strengthens evidence preservation for sexual offense cases, protecting victims' rights and improving prosecution outcomes in criminal justice system.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · New York · Senate Apr 1, 2026

S 3519: Redefines the term "following" for a crime of stalking in the fourth degree

Redefines the term "following" for a crime of stalking in the fourth degree to include the use of certain devices or computers to gain access to, record, track or report the movement or location of a person or their property without the person's permission or authority to do so.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRedefines stalking to include digital tracking without consent, strengthening victim protections and addressing modern harassment methods in criminal justice.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill criminalizes unauthorized digital tracking of individuals via devices, strengthening data privacy protections by expanding stalking laws to cover location monitoring without consent.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · New York · Senate Mar 30, 2026

S 524: Relates to establishing the crime of voyeurism

Establishes the crime of voyeurism in the first and second degree which is defined as when someone for their own amusement, entertainment, profit, sexual arousal or sexual gratification trespasses or uses an instrument to observe for the purpose of viewing a person dressing or undressing or the sexual or other intimate parts of such person at a place and time when such person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, without such person's knowledge or consent.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates new legal protections against privacy violations, aligning with civil rights safeguards in criminal justice by defining voyeurism as a crime with consent requirements.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · New York · Senate Mar 30, 2026

S 1015: Prohibits an individual convicted of a crime involving elder abuse from inheriting from the elder's estate as a distributee

This bill, S 1015, prohibits an individual convicted of a crime involving elder abuse from inheriting from the estate of the vulnerable elderly person they abused. It defines a "vulnerable elderly person" as someone 60 or older with age-related conditions making them unable to care for themselves, and a "caregiver" as someone responsible for their care. The bill outlines various forms of "elder abuse," including physical, sexual, emotional abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. If a caregiver is convicted of such a crime, they are disqualified from receiving any distributive share of the victim's estate.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enhances criminal accountability by denying inheritance to elder abusers, strengthening consequences for crimes against vulnerable populations.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · New York · Senate Mar 18, 2026

S 4956: Designates services to be provided by a jail-based substance use disorder treatment, peer led recovery support services, and transition services program as essential medical care services

Designates services to be provided by a jail-based substance use disorder treatment, peer led recovery support services, and transition services program as essential medical care services.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeDesignates jail-based substance use treatment as essential medical care, promoting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism - core criminal justice reform priorities.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareDesignates jail-based substance use disorder treatment as essential medical care, directly supporting mental health services under healthcare policy.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · New York · Senate Mar 16, 2026

S 630: Requires victims be notified of right to make a victim impact statement and allows them to personally appear at parole hearings and make such a statement

Requires the district attorney to notify victims by letter of the final disposition of the case within sixty days of such disposition in cases where such final disposition includes a conviction; provides such letter shall also notify victims of their right to make a victim impact statement; allows them to personally appear at parole hearings and make such a statement.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates victim notification and parole hearing access for impact statements, directly enhancing victim rights within criminal justice process per reform indicators.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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