Establishes a loan forgiveness program for licensed mental health professionals in jails and prisons for the purpose of increasing the number of mental health professionals rendering mental health services in correctional institutions; provides for eligibility and priority; provides for awards in the amount of $2,000; makes related provisions.
Provides that a person who commits a crime during a period of post-release supervision and when such charge culminates in a new sentence, the period of post-release supervision shall be deemed interrupted for any period in which such person was held in pre-trial detention.
Directs the division of criminal justice services to include in the crimes against revenue program each county within the state and provide funding to each such county.
S 2674 clarifies when courts can issue protective orders to shield jurors' personal information. The bill allows courts to restrict disclosure of jurors' names and addresses (only to attorneys) if they find good cause to believe threats exist to jury safety or integrity. Key factors courts must consider include whether the defendant has threatened past jurors, the severity of charges (especially for large criminal enterprises), and extensive pretrial media coverage. This directly affects jurors and potential jurors by enhancing their privacy and safety protections during criminal trials.
This bill would increase the number of county court judges in Schenectady County from one to two positions. It amends the judiciary law to reflect this change, requiring a new judge to be elected in the November 2025 general election and take office on January 1, 2026. The adjustment directly affects Schenectady County residents who use the county court system for legal matters and aims to address judicial workload capacity. The bill’s provisions are limited to structural changes in court staffing, with no additional funding or policy provisions described.
This bill amends New York's penal law to explicitly include "on-duty auxiliary police officers" within the legal definition of assault in the second degree. It directly affects auxiliary police officers by ensuring that injuring them while they're performing duties is treated as assault in the second degree, aligning their protection with that of regular police officers and other first responders. The key change is adding auxiliary officers to the list of protected personnel in the statute, without creating new penalties or altering existing legal standards for assault.
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.
Implements "Cassie's law" which provides a private right of action for crime victims against persons or private entities who suppress evidence of a crime in exchange for monetary compensation.
This bill amends New York's criminal procedure law to require psychiatric examiners to specifically assess whether "restoration services" could realistically restore a defendant's competence to stand trial within a reasonable timeframe. Restoration services include medication support, competency instruction, mock trials, and symptom management designed to help defendants understand charges and participate in their defense. It directly affects defendants deemed "incapacitated" (unable to understand proceedings due to mental health issues) during criminal trials. The law mandates examiners include this assessment in their reports, clarifies what constitutes "appropriate institutions" for providing services, and defines restoration services as distinct from general mental health treatment.
Bella's Law requires New York's Office of Children and Family Services to investigate potential domestic violence when an individual is accused of or under investigation for animal abuse. Law enforcement must notify the Office of Children and Family Services about such cases, and the Office must determine if the animal abuse is linked to domestic violence or family abuse. The law applies to all animal abuse crimes listed in the bill, including offenses like animal fighting, torture, abandonment, and harming service animals. This policy change mandates coordination between law enforcement and child/family services to address the established connection between animal cruelty and domestic violence.
