Criminal Justice

in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 6500: Establishes merit time allowance credits and certain administrative privileges credits for local correctional facilities

S 6500 establishes a merit time allowance credit program for eligible individuals in local correctional facilities (those serving one year or less sentences or awaiting trial). Participants earn one 24-hour credit for every four days of successful involvement in approved educational, vocational, work, or rehabilitative programs. These credits directly reduce their sentence time and are transferable to state facilities if convicted of a felony. The program requires voluntary participation, prohibits using non-participation as evidence against individuals, and mandates facilities to maintain and transfer credit records.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates merit time credits for rehabilitation programs in correctional facilities, reducing sentences for participation. This promotes rehabilitation, reduces recidivism, and aligns with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 7216: Relates to segregated confinement

This bill prohibits segregated confinement (solitary isolation) for three specific groups: juveniles under 21, individuals with mental illness or developmental disabilities, and those with permanent physical disabilities that substantially limit major life activities (like walking or seeing). It also requires the commissioner to publish quarterly reports on segregated confinement use, including related self-harm incidents. Facility rules must now specify that any segregated confinement sanction must be the minimum necessary duration for maintaining order. The law takes effect 180 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProhibits solitary confinement for vulnerable populations in corrections, aligning with criminal justice reform and civil rights protections.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits solitary confinement for individuals with mental illness, protecting their mental health and requiring self-harm incident reporting.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 6164: Prohibits certain limitations of visitation of incarcerated individuals

This bill prohibits prisons and jails from unjustly restricting in-person visits for incarcerated people. It requires facilities to allow at least two in-person visits per week and bans coercion to skip visits, while still permitting video calls as an extra option (not a replacement). Exceptions are allowed for safety reasons like misconduct or emergencies, as determined by corrections officials. The law directly affects incarcerated individuals and their families by protecting their right to regular face-to-face contact.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill protects incarcerated individuals' visitation rights, requiring in-person visits and preventing coercion - directly advancing rehabilitation and family connections, key to criminal justice reform.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 5085: Modifies the factors to be considered when making a parole release decision

This bill modifies New York's parole decision process by updating the factors parole boards must consider. It requires boards to evaluate an incarcerated person's institutional record, release plans, victim input (including statements about post-sentencing threats), deportation status, sentence length, and prior criminal history. The bill replaces the term "inmate" with "incarcerated person" throughout the law and mandates toll-free victim access and written reports for victim statements. It takes effect immediately, focusing on concrete procedural changes to parole assessments.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeUpdates parole factors to include rehabilitation considerations and victim input about post-sentencing threats, aligning with reform goals to reduce recidivism.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Probation & Parole Victims' Rights

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 404: Prohibits the use of reverse location and reverse keyword searches

Prohibits the search, with or without a warrant, of geolocation and keyword data of a group of people who are under no individual suspicion of having committed a crime, but rather are defined by having been at a given location at a given time or searched particular words, phrases, character strings, or websites.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProhibits warrantless mass data collection, protecting civil liberties and enhancing police accountability in criminal investigations.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyProhibits warrantless bulk geolocation/keyword searches, directly protecting user privacy - a core technology policy indicator.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Data Privacy

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 1401: Enacts the "police and peace officer licensing act"

This bill establishes a mandatory licensing system for all police and peace officers in the state, requiring licenses by January 1, 2027, with licenses valid for five years and renewal tied to continuing education. License renewal includes specific training on de-escalation techniques for mental health crises, protests, and cultural competency regarding race, ethnicity, and gender identity. It creates an independent review board to handle disciplinary actions for professional misconduct (such as excessive force), with powers to revoke licenses, impose fines, or mandate additional training. The law also revises state criminal procedure codes to require that only officers licensed under this act may serve as police or peace officers.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates licensing with de-escalation/cultural competency training and independent disciplinary review board, enhancing officer accountability per criminal justice reform indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing Tags Licensing

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 1555: Relates to establishing reporting duties of law enforcement agencies with respect to police misconduct allegations and outcomes

Relates to establishing reporting duties of law enforcement agencies with respect to police misconduct allegations and outcomes; requires the division of criminal justice services to establish and maintain on its official website a public, searchable database of alleged infractions and police misconduct complaints.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires public database for police misconduct complaints, enhancing accountability and transparency in law enforcement per bill's reporting duties mandate.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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died · New York · Senate Mar 13, 2026

S 643: Establishes the youth justice innovation fund

Establishes the youth justice innovation fund to make funds available to community-based organizations for services and programs with the purpose of youth development and preventing youth arrest and incarceration.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes a new fund allocating state resources to community organizations for youth development programs, directly increasing public service funding under budget appropriations.90% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticePrevents youth arrest/incarceration via community programs, aligning with reform goals of reducing recidivism and improving rehabilitation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Juvenile Justice

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 4890: Establishes the crime of harassment of an employee by an incarcerated individual

S 4890 creates a new crime for incarcerated individuals who harass facility employees. It specifically prohibits: (1) displaying or touching intimate body parts in view of an employee, (2) causing an employee to be visible while doing so, or (3) threatening to expose bodily fluids. This applies to employees at correctional facilities, parole offices, mental health facilities, probation departments, or police officers. The offense is classified as a class B misdemeanor, punishable by fines or up to 90 days in jail.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProtects correctional staff from harassment, enhancing facility safety and operational integrity within criminal justice system.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProtects correctional facility employees from harassment, strengthening workplace safety protections for specific workers in high-risk environments.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Policing Probation & Parole Employment Discrimination

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 6646: Relates to admissibility of statements obtained from persons under the age of eighteen by means of deception

This bill makes statements by people under 18 obtained through deception during police custody questioning inadmissible in court. It creates a legal presumption that such statements are involuntary if law enforcement knowingly used false claims about evidence or fake promises of leniency to get a confession. The prosecution must prove the statement was voluntary by a preponderance of evidence, shifting the burden of proof to them. This applies to both criminal trials and family court cases involving minors under 18.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill protects minors' rights by making deceptive police tactics inadmissible and shifting burden to prosecution - aligns with civil rights and criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Juvenile Justice Policing

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