Criminal Justice (Courts)

in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 720: Relates to conferring youthful offender status upon conviction of an eligible youth for a misdemeanor

This bill changes New York's criminal procedure to automatically grant "youthful offender" status to eligible minors convicted of misdemeanors in local courts, provided they have no prior criminal convictions or youthful offender status. If these conditions are met, the court must classify them as youthful offenders at sentencing, preventing a permanent criminal record and limiting potential prison time to under four years. The law applies immediately to all future misdemeanor convictions meeting these criteria. It directly affects young people aged 16-20 (as defined by law) who commit minor offenses without prior legal history.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAutomatically grants youthful offender status preventing permanent records for eligible minors, reducing recidivism through rehabilitation-focused sentencing95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Juvenile Justice Sentencing

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 390: Permits at the discretion of the court certain members of the victim's family to read statements in court during the sentencing of a defendant

Permits at the discretion of the court certain members of the deceased victim's family to read statements in court during the sentencing of a defendant, rather than allowing only a single member of the victim's family to read a statement in court, upon consultation with counsel for the defendant and the people.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands victim impact statements during sentencing, enhancing victim voice in criminal justice proceedings per reform-focused victim advocacy principles.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Sentencing Victims' Rights

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 7807: Authorizes fiat-collateralized stablecoins as a form of bail

Authorizes fiat-collateralized stablecoins as a form of bail; directs the commissioner of taxation and finance, in conjunction with the chief justice of the unified court system and the director of the office of information technology services, to promulgate rules and regulations identifying forms of fiat-collateralized stablecoin acceptable for posting bail to establish a system for the administration of the acceptance, recording and processing of stablecoins as a means of securing bail.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAuthorizes stablecoin bail as alternative to cash, expanding pretrial release options aligning with criminal justice reform goals of reducing cash bail reliance.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyAuthorizes fiat-collateralized stablecoins (a tech-based financial instrument) for bail, advancing their integration into legal systems without restrictions.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 2357: Release of persons charged with certain crimes involving possession of a firearm on their own recognizance or under non-monetary conditions, bail or custody of the sheriff

Authorizes the court the discretion to release persons charged with certain crimes involving possession of a firearm on their own recognizance or under non-monetary conditions, fix bail, or commit the person to the custody of the sheriff.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill allows courts discretion to release firearm possession defendants without bail, reducing pretrial detention - a key criminal justice reform measure.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Drug Policy Firearms

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passed both · New York · Senate Jun 5, 2026

S 1004: Relates to determining the capacity of a defendant to stand trial

This bill amends New York's criminal procedure law to clarify how courts assess whether a defendant has the mental capacity to stand trial. It requires psychiatric examiners to specifically evaluate whether "restoration services" (such as medication support, competency training, or symptom management) could reasonably restore a defendant's capacity within a set timeframe, and include this assessment in their reports. The bill directly affects defendants in criminal cases who may lack mental capacity due to illness or disability, ensuring their evaluation process considers potential treatment pathways. Key provisions define "restoration services" and mandate that examiners' reports detail the feasibility of such services before a court decides on next steps.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires courts to assess restoration services for defendant competency, promoting fair trials and rehabilitation, aligning with criminal justice reform principles.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 1276: Authorizes the court to order sexual offenders on probation to terms of imprisonment which run consecutively to sentences already being served

Authorizes the court to order sexual offenders on probation, where such probation has been revoked, to terms of imprisonment which run consecutively to sentences already being served.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill mandates consecutive prison terms for sexual offenders with revoked probation, increasing sentence severity and opposing criminal justice reform efforts to reduce harsh sentencing.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Probation & Parole

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 4606: Relates to sealing of dismissals and violations that are more than twenty years old

This bill (A 4606) allows individuals to petition courts to seal criminal records from cases dismissed or terminated in their favor more than 20 years ago, specifically including traffic violations (excluding DWI). It directly affects people with old, non-conviction records who seek to have these records removed from public view. The process requires applicants to submit a request to the court clerk, who must seal the records if the case was resolved favorably, and law enforcement must destroy related evidence like fingerprints. The bill updates existing sealing procedures to automatically cover qualifying cases over two decades old, streamlining access to record relief.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeSeals old non-conviction records (including traffic violations), reducing barriers to employment/housing and aligning with reform goals to promote rehabilitation and protect civil rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 6878: Relates to withholding certain information during discovery where the defendant is associated with a criminal street gang or the offense is connected to a criminal street gang or criminal enterprise activity

Permits the court to withhold names, contact information, and statements of any victim or eyewitness from discovery where the defendant is associated with a criminal street gang or the offense is connected to a criminal street gang or criminal enterprise activity.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRestricts defendant discovery rights in gang cases by permitting withholding of victim/witness info, reducing access to evidence.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 4001: Relates to criminal history record searches and open warrants

This bill (S 4001) changes how criminal history records are handled when open warrants exist. It requires the state Division of Criminal Justice to exclude references to open warrants from background reports if a new court report arrives for the case but does not confirm the warrant was recalled. The exclusion applies only to standard background reports, not to information shared with law enforcement, for research, or for the Division's internal use. The law takes effect January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExcludes open warrants from standard background reports to prevent unfair discrimination, aligning with civil rights protections in criminal justice reform.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Law Enforcement

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 2313: Relates to setting bail for defendants that pose a current physical threat to public safety

Requires the court to make an individualized determination whether a defendant poses a current physical threat to any person or to public safety when making a bail determination.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires individualized bail assessment for dangerous defendants, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of evidence-based decisions to balance public safety and defendant rights.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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