Criminal Justice

in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 1943: Expands the criteria for a hate crime

This bill (S 1943) expands New York's hate crime definition to include trespassing at religious buildings like churches, synagogues, mosques, or other houses of worship. It directly affects individuals who commit trespass at these locations while targeting someone based on their race, religion, gender identity, or other protected characteristics. The key change amends the penal law to add these locations to the list of places where a hate crime can be charged, raising the offense level if convicted. This creates a specific legal pathway for prosecuting bias-motivated trespass at religious sites.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands hate crime penalties for trespass at religious sites, strengthening protections for targeted groups under criminal justice reform.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 6425: Enacts "Barreto's law"

S 6425, titled "Barreto's law," creates a new criminal offense called "vehicular manslaughter in the third degree" for causing another person's death through specific reckless driving violations. It directly affects drivers who cause fatalities while committing one of three actions: reckless driving (VTL §1200), aggravated unlicensed operation (VTL §511), or driving uninsured (Insurance Law §3420). The law classifies this offense as a class E felony, establishing a clear criminal penalty for these specific behaviors. The bill takes immediate effect upon enactment.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new felony offense for reckless driving causing death, expanding criminalization and increasing penalties without reform elements.90% confidence

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failed · New York · Assembly May 5, 2026

A 4209: Relates to aggravated resisting arrest

Establishes the crime of aggravated resisting arrest as where a person intentionally prevents or attempts to prevent a police officer or peace officer from effecting an authorized arrest of such person or another person through the use of physical force, where such authorized arrest is for a crime which is a felony.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeEstablishes aggravated resisting arrest as a felony offense, expanding criminalization of resistance to police and increasing penalties for non-compliance with arrests.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 1751: Relates to penalties for certain crimes involving tampering with a witness or intimidating a victim or witness

Increases the penalties for certain crimes involving tampering with a witness or intimidating a victim or witness; increases the penalty for tampering with a witness in the third degree and intimidating a victim or witness in the third degree to class D felonies; increases the penalty for tampering with a witness in the second degree and intimidating a victim or witness in the second degree to class C felonies.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill increases penalties for witness tampering, directly aligning with 'increases mandatory sentences' indicator for oppose stance.90% confidence

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 5222: Allows lifetime orders of protection in certain cases

This bill amends New York's criminal procedure law to allow courts to issue lifetime orders of protection in specific cases. It directly affects victims of domestic violence where the respondent is convicted of certain felonies, including those under Penal Law articles 120, 125, 130, 135, or 263, or specific sections (255.25-255.27), or attempts to commit such felonies. The key provision changes the maximum duration for protection orders in these felony cases from fixed terms (e.g., 8 years) to "the lifetime of the defendant or the victim, whichever is shorter." This applies when courts enter protection orders following sentencing for qualifying offenses, without altering existing rules for misdemeanors or other offenses.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeLifetime protection orders strengthen victim safety and prevent repeat offenses in domestic violence cases, directly advancing criminal justice reform goals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Sentencing

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 5023: Relates to criminal mischief in the third degree and criminal mischief in the second degree

This bill amends New York's penal law to adjust thresholds for criminal mischief charges. It raises the property damage amount required for third-degree criminal mischief (from $250 to $1,000) and adds a repeat-offender provision: damaging a locked vehicle with intent to steal becomes a felony if the person has three prior convictions for lower-level mischief offenses. For second-degree mischief, it increases the damage threshold from $1,000 to $3,500 to qualify as a felony. These changes directly affect individuals who damage property under these specific financial or repeat-offense conditions. The bill was referred to the Codes committee on February 18, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRaises property damage thresholds for felony charges (from $250→$1k, $1k→$3.5k), reducing felony prosecutions for minor mischief and aligning with criminal justice reform goals to limit over-criminalization.85% confidence

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 7255: Relates to the imposition of securing orders for felony crimes committed by individuals without permanent residency status

Relates to the imposition of securing orders for felonies by individuals without permanent residency status; provides such individuals shall be remanded to the custody of the sheriff for the entirety of the judicial proceedings related thereto.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeMandates detention of non-resident felons without bail, restricting defendant rights during proceedings per bill's remand requirement.85% confidence ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationBill mandates custody of non-residents for felonies, increasing state enforcement against undocumented immigrants per explicit language on remand to sheriff.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Driver Licenses & IDs Enforcement Sanctuary Policies

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 5304: Relates to investigation of incidents of bodily injury or harm to incarcerated individuals

Requires DOCCS' office of special investigations to send a representative of such office in-person to confirm any reported incident of bodily injury or harm to an incarcerated individual no later than 5 days after receiving such report.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates timely in-person investigation of inmate injuries, enhancing oversight in corrections to protect incarcerated individuals' rights and ensure accountability.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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in committee · New York · Senate Feb 3, 2026

S 109: Prohibits persons convicted of murder or sentenced to life without parole from being eligible for commutation of sentence

Prohibits persons convicted of murder or sentenced to life without parole or where the defendant acting either alone or with one or more other persons, commits or attempts to commit robbery, burglary, kidnapping, arson, rape in the first degree, criminal sexual act in the first degree, sexual abuse in the first degree, aggravated sexual abuse, escape in the first degree, or escape in the second degree, and, in the course of and in furtherance of such crime or of immediate flight therefrom, such defendant, or another participant, if there be any, intentionally causes the death of: a police officer; a peace officer; a firefighter, emergency medical technician, ambulance driver, paramedic, physician or registered nurse involved in a first response team, or any other individual who, in the course of official duties, performs emergency response; or an employee of a state correctional institution or was an employee of a local correctional facility, when such person was engaged in the course of performing their official duties, from being eligible for commutation of sentence.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeProhibits commutation for violent crimes like murder and robbery, restricting sentence reduction and opposing criminal justice reform efforts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Policing Probation & Parole

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 2651: Specifying conditions for the issuance of optional mobile or digital alternatives to driver's licenses and non-driver identification cards

Specifies conditions for the issuance of optional mobile or digital alternatives to driver's licenses and non-driver identification cards; prohibits law enforcement from seeking consent for phone searches during identity verifications using mobile or digital alternatives to driver's licenses and non-driver identification cards.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProhibits law enforcement from seeking consent for phone searches during digital ID verification, protecting civil rights during traffic stops and reducing unwarranted police intrusion.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyProhibits law enforcement from seeking consent for phone searches during digital ID verification, enhancing data privacy protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

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