Criminal Justice

in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 1386: Relates to the theft of a package intentionally taken from the residence of another following delivery by the postal service or a commercial carrier

Makes the theft of a package intentionally taken from a porch, driveway, doorway or other area adjacent to the residence of another following delivery of the package to such residence by the postal service or a commercial carrier a felony.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeElevates package theft to felony, expanding criminalization and increasing penalties under criminal justice system.90% confidence

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 21, 2026

S 8464: Relates to convictions under the felony murder rule; repealer

Repeals the crime of felony murder; permits vacating conviction and resentencing of defendants convicted of felony murder; requires reporting of certain crime statistics and information.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAmends felony murder rule to reduce wrongful convictions, allows resentencing, and adds duress defense for domestic violence victims, aligning with criminal justice reform indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 5281: Relates to deeming individuals facing criminal charges as being incapable of consent when the actor is a law enforcement agent who knows or should know that such person is facing pending charges

Deems individuals facing criminal charges as being incapable of consent when the actor is a police officer, peace officer or other law enforcement agent who knows or reasonably should know that such person is facing pending charges unless such person is a member of the same family or household as such police officer, peace officer or other law enforcement agent.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnhances police accountability by preventing exploitation of individuals facing charges through deemed incapacity of consent, protecting vulnerable persons in criminal justice system.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 6462: Provides for the operation of a youth services unit within the port authority police department

S 6462 creates a youth services unit within the Port Authority Police Department to assist young people at risk of exploitation, particularly runaways who may face human or sex trafficking. The unit will operate at Port Authority bus terminals, airports, Trans-Hudson stations, and the World Trade Center, focusing on intercepting at-risk youth, collaborating with social workers and undercover officers, identifying vulnerabilities early, stopping perpetrators, and connecting youth with family or support services. It authorizes the Port Authority to establish necessary rules for implementing this unit. The bill requires New Jersey to enact identical legislation first for it to take effect, or it becomes effective immediately if New Jersey has already passed similar law.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates youth services unit to prevent exploitation/trafficking by intercepting at-risk youth and connecting them with support services, aligning with criminal justice reform through prevention and rehabilitation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking Policing

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 30, 2025

S 3806: Relates to the age of persons eligible for a sentence of life imprisonment without parole

This bill clarifies that only individuals aged 18 or older at the time of committing a crime can receive a life imprisonment sentence without parole. It specifically applies to certain serious offenses, including first-degree murder, terrorism involving weapons, and aggravated murder, as defined in New York's penal law. The law amends existing sentencing provisions to require that defendants must have been 18 or older when the crime was committed to be eligible for life without parole. Minors (17 or younger) remain subject to other sentencing options under the law.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRestricts life without parole for minors, aligning with juvenile justice reform by excluding under-18 offenders from this harsh sentence.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Probation & Parole Sentencing

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 4546: Relates to the crime of resisting arrest

This bill changes penalties for resisting arrest. A first offense remains a class A misdemeanor, but a second offense within five years becomes a class E felony. It directly affects individuals with prior convictions for resisting arrest who commit the same offense again. The key mechanism is the five-year lookback period for prior convictions, upgrading the penalty from misdemeanor to felony for repeat offenses.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill upgrades second resisting arrest offense to felony, increasing penalties and expanding criminalization per sentencing indicators.90% confidence

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 5740: Requires the office of court administration to study racial disparities in jury selection pools and juror selection

Requires the office of court administration to study racial disparities in jury selection pools and juror selection and make recommendations that can be undertaken to reduce or eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in jury selection pools and juror selection.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates study to reduce racial disparities in jury selection, directly promoting equity in criminal justice reform and civil rights protection.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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in committee · New York · Assembly Apr 23, 2026

A 907: Relates to automatic license plate readers

This bill requires New York law enforcement agencies to create clear, publicly available rules for using automatic license plate readers (ALPRs), which are cameras that automatically read license plates. Agencies must post these rules on their websites or in their main offices and provide them to the public upon request. The rules must cover permissible uses of ALPRs, data handling practices, record retention, and officer training requirements. It also directs a council to develop minimum standards for ALPR systems and recommend ongoing training for police officers.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates transparent rules for ALPR use, including data handling and officer training, promoting law enforcement accountability and protecting civil rights in surveillance practices.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill mandates public rules for ALPR data handling/retention, directly protecting privacy through transparency and data management standards for license plate recognition technology.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 1074: Relates to the court's consideration of the existence of extraordinary circumstances and significant physical injury in determining whether to remove adolescent offenders to family court

Relates to the court's consideration of the existence of extraordinary circumstances and significant physical injury in determining whether to remove adolescent offenders to family court; defines such terms; provides factors for the court's consideration of whether extraordinary circumstances exist.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill modifies juvenile court procedures to consider individual circumstances, reducing automatic transfers to adult court for adolescents, aligning with criminal justice reform principles.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Juvenile Justice

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 4929: Decriminalizes possession of controlled substances, establishes the drug decriminalization task force; repealer

Eliminates criminal and civil penalties for possession of controlled substances; establishes the drug decriminalization task force to develop recommendations for reforming state laws, regulations and practices so that they align with the stated goal of treating substance use disorder as a disease, rather than a criminal behavior.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeDecriminalizes drug possession, treats substance use as health issue, establishes task force for reform - directly advances criminal justice reform by reducing criminalization.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareTreats substance use disorder as a health issue rather than criminal behavior, aligning with public health initiatives to improve access to care through legislative reform.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Substance Abuse

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