Criminal Justice

in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 6001: Relates to enacting the "fair court of appeals access act"

This bill, S 6001 ("Fair Court of Appeals Access Act"), changes how criminal defendants request permission to appeal to the New York Court of Appeals from decisions by intermediate appellate courts. It requires all such applications for "leave to appeal" to be submitted directly to the full Court of Appeals (not individual judges or justices), specifically to the chief judge who then assigns a judge to review the request. The bill mandates written submissions to the Court of Appeals clerk, requires notification to the opposing party, and demands that all decisions on these applications be filed immediately with the court clerk. This directly affects criminal defendants seeking to challenge intermediate court rulings by altering the procedural path to the highest appellate court.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeStreamlines appeals process for criminal defendants, requiring direct submission to full Court of Appeals, enhancing access to higher court review and protecting defendant rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Judges

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in committee · New York · Assembly May 26, 2026

A 2628: Establishes the bullet-proof vests for officers fund

This bill (A 2628) establishes a dedicated state fund to provide bullet-proof vests for police officers and canine units. It creates a new "bullet-proof vests for officers fund" managed by the state comptroller, funded through voluntary taxpayer contributions added to income tax returns (starting 2026), existing transfers, and gifts. The fund specifically allocates money to the Division of Criminal Justice Services for purchasing vests, which are distributed at the commissioner’s discretion following statewide guidelines. The bill does not mandate taxes but allows taxpayers to donate directly via their state tax forms, with all funds restricted solely to this purpose.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill funds bullet-proof vests for police officers, directly supporting law enforcement operations within criminal justice system.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 4326: Establishes the crime of failure to retreat

Establishes the crime of failure to retreat when a person who is within twenty-five feet of a police officer or peace officer engaged in the performance of their duties and the police officer or peace officer orders such person to halt or retreat and the person fails to do so immediately; requires the posting of bail.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new criminal offense for non-compliance with police orders, increasing penalties and restricting defendant rights by requiring bail posting for failure to retreat.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 3769: Creates a temporary state commission to study sexual misconduct in state correctional facilities

Creates a temporary state commission to study and investigate sexual misconduct in state correctional facilities among incarcerated individuals and employees; devises a reporting system for notification of such misconduct to appropriate authorities; establishes duties and membership of such commission.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates commission to study sexual misconduct in prisons, enhancing oversight and accountability in correctional facilities per criminal justice reform indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 4829: Establishes the "Hoosock and Jensen law" which increases the designation of certain offenses relating to unlawfully fleeing a police officer

Designates unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in the third degree as a class E felony; designates unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in the second degree as a class D violent felony offense; designates unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in the first degree as a class B violent felony offense.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill upgrades fleeing police offenses to higher felony classifications, increasing penalties and expanding criminalization per indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 8448: Increases the reimbursement amount authorized to be paid to localities maintaining incarcerated individuals convicted of felonies

Increases the reimbursement amount authorized to be paid to localities maintaining incarcerated individuals convicted of felonies to $300 per day per capita for the first 10 days, and $600 per day per capita for each day thereafter, or the actual per day per capita cost, whichever is more.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeIncreases daily reimbursement to localities for incarcerating felons, directly funding corrections system within criminal justice.90% confidence

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passed both · New York · Assembly May 28, 2026

A 6666: Requires the commissioner of corrections and community supervision to make facility water testing results accessible to the public, incarcerated individuals and correctional facility staff

Requires the commissioner of corrections and community supervision to make correctional facility water testing results accessible directly, upon request, to incarcerated individuals and correctional facility staff in such facilities and make such water testing results available to the public on the website of the department.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires public access to correctional facility water testing, promoting transparency in corrections - a criminal justice reform indicator.70% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Probation & Parole

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 7449: Creates the crime of prosecutorial misconduct

Provides that if a prosecutor withholds information proving the innocence of an individual convicted of or charged with a crime, such prosecutor shall be guilty of a felony with the term of imprisonment being twice that of the term of imprisonment the individual charged with the crime is faced with or twice that which the individual has been sentenced to.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeHolds prosecutors accountable for withholding evidence of innocence, advancing criminal justice reform by protecting defendants' rights and preventing wrongful convictions.95% confidence

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 3644: Designates certain offenses against law enforcement officers as hate crimes

Designates certain offenses against emergency medical services personnel, firefighters, and law enforcement officers as hate crimes; includes the definition of emergency medical services personnel, firefighters, and law enforcement officers.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill designates attacks on law enforcement as hate crimes, increasing penalties for bias-motivated violence against officers. This strengthens legal protections for public safety personnel within the criminal justice system.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jun 4, 2026

A 6732: Creates an identification card program for local correctional facilities; and relates to issuance of and waiver of fees for identification cards issued pursuant to certain identification card programs

Creates an identification card program for incarcerated individuals in local correctional facilities; requires such identification cards to be identical to non-driver identification cards issued to the general public; waives fees for such identification cards.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeWaives fees for ID cards for incarcerated individuals, facilitating post-release reintegration and reducing recidivism - key criminal justice reform measure.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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