Criminal Justice

Makes the failure of a sex offender to register or verify pursuant to the provisions of the sex offender registration act or violation of the prohibition on sex offenders being employed on a motor vehicle engaged in the retail sale of frozen desserts or another type of mobile food establishment or pushcart a class D felony.

Establishes a tax credit for employment of an individual who has successfully completed a judicial diversion substance abuse treatment program or graduated from drug court.

Redefines the term "following" for a crime of stalking in the fourth degree to include the use of certain devices or computers to gain access to, record, track or report the movement or location of a person or their property without the person's permission or authority to do so.

Requires a principal, superintendent or a principal's or superintendent's designee to notify law enforcement if they believe a hate crime is occurring.

Enacts the medical civil rights act; provides that persons in the custody or control of a law enforcement officer, police officer, peace officer, correctional officer, or other law enforcement representative or entity who are experiencing an emergency medical condition or is medically unstable have the right to be provided with emergency medical services and that such officers, representatives, and entities have a duty to provide such services; provides an exception to such duty to provide emergency medical services.

S 2331 removes buprenorphine from the legal definitions of "controlled substance" and "narcotic preparation" under New York's penal law. This change means possessing buprenorphine (a medication used to treat opioid use disorder) will no longer be treated as a criminal offense under these specific provisions. The bill amends two sections of the penal law to exclude buprenorphine from lists that previously carried criminal penalties for possession. It will take effect on November 1, 2025.

Enacts "DJ's law" which requires training for police officers on discharging a firearm at a moving vehicle; requires the municipal police training council to develop and disseminate written policies and procedures regarding such force.

Enacts into law components of legislation necessary to implement an omnibus bill related to correctional services in the state of New York; requires the timely disclosure of video footage related to the death of incarcerated individuals to the attorney general's office of special investigations (Part A); requires institutions and local correctional facilities to adhere to certain standards regarding the camera coverage of incarcerated individuals and detainees, and access to such camera recordings (Part B); provides notice of the death of an incarcerated individual occurring in the custody of the department of corrections and community supervision; requires the department to promptly notify the next of kin and any other person designated as the representative of any incarcerated individual whose death takes place during custody (Part C); directs the state commission of correction to conduct a comprehensive study on deaths in correctional facilities within New York state to provide data-driven insights and recommendations to improve prison conditions, healthcare, and policies to prevent future tragedies (Part D); establishes the Terry Cooper autopsy accountability act requiring autopsy reports to include all photographs of the body, microscopic slides, and post-mortem x-rays taken by, at the direction of, or reviewed by the person performing the autopsy (Part E); relates to conflicts within the office of special investigation; provides that if the office of the attorney general has a conflict representing state employees in civil litigation, the attorney general may designate a deputy attorney general or assistant attorney general to act in their place; requires the attorney general to establish procedures to screen off certain records (part F); requires the commissioner of corrections and community supervision to collect and report on data from the office of special investigations regarding complaints received by such office in the previous quarter (Part G); increases the number of members on the state commission of correction; provides for the manner of confirmation of such members (Part H); relates to correctional facility visits by the correctional association; authorizes the correctional association to visit correctional facilities at any time with 24 hours advance notice; grants the correctional association access to certain records and information of correctional facilities (Part I); relates to the tolling of statute of limitations for individuals in state custody; provides that with respect to state action brought by anyone to recover damages for physical, psychological, or other injury or condition suffered while in state custody, the time in which such action must commence shall be extended to three years after such person is released from such custody (Part J).

This bill amends multiple New York State laws to replace the terms "addict" or "addicts" with "person with substance use disorder" or a similar phrase throughout legal texts. It specifically updates references in the judiciary law (affecting court proceedings), mental hygiene law (governing treatment programs), and public health law (regarding controlled substance dispensing). The change applies to all relevant legal documents, including those describing mental health hearings, treatment eligibility, and medication administration protocols. This terminology shift aims to reduce stigma by using person-centered language consistent with modern healthcare and legal standards. The bill was signed into law as Chapter 511 on November 21, 2025.

This bill upgrades the penalty for public lewdness in the first degree from a class A misdemeanor to a class E felony under New York's penal law. It directly affects individuals convicted of this specific offense, now facing felony-level penalties instead of misdemeanor charges. The bill amends section 245.03 of the penal law to change the offense classification, as specified in the bill text. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.