Criminal Justice

in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 1646: Requires certain employees of the New York state department of corrections and community supervision to wear body cameras

Requires every parole officer and employee of the department of corrections and community supervision to wear body cameras with video and audio whenever they are interacting with a parolee; implements the use of cameras in every official office and room in the department.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires body cameras for parole officers and correction staff to enhance accountability during interactions, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of transparency and oversight.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing Probation & Parole

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in committee · New York · Senate Mar 17, 2026

S 6481: Relates to commencing a study on the relationship between the corrections system and the child welfare system

This bill mandates a comprehensive study on the relationship between the corrections system and the child welfare system. The study will examine incarcerated individuals' prior involvement with child welfare and juvenile systems, including details like past foster care, age during placement, ethnicity, and gender. It requires the Commissioner to conduct surveys of a random sample of at least ten percent of individuals in state, county, and municipal correctional facilities. Participant confidentiality and informed consent are required for these surveys. A written report with findings, conclusions, and recommendations must be submitted to the governor and legislative leaders.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates study on corrections-child welfare system links to examine factors like foster care history, aiming to inform potential reforms that could reduce recidivism and improve systemic outcomes.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Juvenile Justice

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 7215: Relates to the confinement of incarcerated individuals under the age of eighteen

This bill prohibits placing any incarcerated individual under 18 years old in segregated confinement under any circumstances. It directly affects minors in correctional facilities by banning this practice, which involves isolating individuals in separate cells. The key provision amends the correction law to explicitly state that "incarcerated individuals under the age of eighteen shall not be placed in segregated confinement for any reason," with limited exceptions referenced in the text. The policy change updates facility procedures to protect minors from this form of confinement.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBans solitary confinement for minors in corrections, aligning with criminal justice reform and civil rights protection by prohibiting harmful isolation practices.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Juvenile Justice

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died · New York · Senate Jun 5, 2026

S 660: Relates to detaining persons for longer than twenty-four hours

Bill S 660 aims to regulate the detention of individuals by police officers and enhance transparency regarding their custody. It defines "without unnecessary delay" for detention as less than twenty-four hours from the time a person is taken into custody, requiring immediate release if this limit is not met. The bill also mandates that cities with a population of one million or more establish a searchable online registry of detained persons, showing their names, ages, and locations, with access limited to contracted defender organizations. Additionally, it establishes an evidentiary presumption in habeas corpus cases that pre-arraignment detention exceeding twenty-four hours is unlawful unless proven otherwise by clear and convincing evidence.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRegulates police detention timelines and mandates public registry for transparency, enhancing accountability in criminal justice90% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 1402: Relates to providing a civil action for deprivation of rights

This bill creates a new civil lawsuit pathway for individuals whose constitutional or federal rights were violated by government actors (such as police, courts, or public officials). It allows victims to sue for damages and court-ordered remedies, removes common defenses like "I thought it was legal," and requires courts to award attorney fees to winning plaintiffs - even if the case settles without a formal judgment. Public entities (like cities or state agencies) must cover their employees' legal costs if sued under this law, and lawsuits must be filed within three years of the violation. It directly affects people harmed by government overreach, ensuring they have a clear legal route to seek redress for rights violations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates civil suit for rights violations by police/courts, removes defenses like 'I thought it was legal,' mandates attorney fees - enhances accountability and protects civil rights in criminal justice.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Courts Policing

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 7064: Includes offenses involving physical harm or danger to others to be qualifying offenses for the purpose of allowing a principal to be eligible to be held on bail

Includes offenses involving situations where a person physically harms another or engages in conduct that results in an unacceptable level of danger as qualifying offenses for the purpose of allowing a principal to be eligible to be held on bail; requires the Office of Court Administration, in conjunction with the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, to manage an electronic tracking system maintaining a record of all bail decisions and to deliver a report to the legislature.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands bail eligibility for violent offenses with oversight tracking, reducing pretrial detention - aligns with reform goals of defendant rights and transparency.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 7337: Enacts into law components of legislation relating to certain criminal justice reform in the state of New York; repealer

Enacts into law components of legislation relating to certain criminal justice reform in the state of New York; establishes law enforcement officer grant funds (Part A); provides judges more discretion regarding securing orders and limiting the lengths of certain orders (Part B); requires affirmative consent for the disclosure of contact information of witnesses to a defendant; provides that denial of such consent shall only be for good cause as determined by the court (Part C); relates to consideration of the death penalty for the commission of certain provisions of murder in the first degree (Part D).

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnacts criminal justice reform components including judicial discretion, witness privacy protections, and law enforcement grants, aligning with reform goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 7857: Relates to polling places in detention facilities and the voting rights and status of incarcerated persons

Allows individuals detained in any correctional or local correctional facility to vote at polling places located within the facility if they are registered to vote and are otherwise eligible; provides for polling places within correctional facilities; provides for automatic changes in voter status; includes bi-partisan boards of elections officials and inspectors as persons who may visit correctional facilities.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAllows incarcerated individuals to vote in correctional facilities, advancing voting rights and criminal justice reform by restoring civil rights for detained persons.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Corrections

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 4064: Enacts the "Michael K. Williams law" to establish a grant program to incentivize counties and municipalities to reduce prison populations

Enacts the "Michael K. Williams law" to establish a grant program to incentivize counties and municipalities to reduce prison populations; makes an appropriation therefor.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates funds for a grant program to reduce prison populations, directly funding a state budget initiative under fiscal management.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill establishes grant program to incentivize reducing prison populations, a direct criminal justice reform measure advancing reduction efforts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Corrections

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passed · New York · Senate May 18, 2026

S 360: Relates to expanding the health department's review of correctional health services

Expands the health department's review of correctional health services by including a biennial study of health care staffing at facilities operated by the department of corrections and community supervision.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands health department oversight of correctional facility staffing, promoting better health services and rehabilitation within corrections, aligning with reform indicators.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands health department oversight of correctional health services via biennial staffing studies, strengthening public health program review in facilities.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Probation & Parole

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