Immigration (Citizenship & Naturalization)

This bill allows cities, towns, and villages to eliminate citizenship requirements for police and firefighter positions within their jurisdictions. Local governments can remove these requirements through local laws, rules, or ordinances without needing state approval. The policy directly affects public safety hiring standards in all municipalities across the state. It takes effect immediately upon enactment, giving local leaders flexibility to adjust hiring practices.

This bill (S 5418) allows New York cities, counties, towns, and fire/police districts to waive citizenship requirements for police and firefighter candidates who provide proof of an honorable military discharge from U.S. or New York military service (including National Guard or Naval Militia). It directly affects non-citizen applicants with military service history who would otherwise be ineligible due to citizenship rules. The key provision amends state law to permit local governing bodies to exempt these candidates from citizenship requirements if they submit verified military discharge documentation. This creates a pathway for qualified military veterans to serve in local emergency services roles without U.S. citizenship.

S 103, the "New York Religious Freedom Act," prohibits state and local agencies and law enforcement from collecting, sharing, or using personally identifiable information about individuals' religious beliefs, practices, or affiliations for government databases related to law enforcement or immigration. It specifically bans using public funds or resources to create or enforce such databases and restricts sharing religious data with federal authorities, except in limited cases like targeted criminal investigations with a clear link to the crime or for providing religious accommodations. The law also terminates existing agreements that conflict with these restrictions and clarifies that agencies may still share citizenship or immigration status information as permitted under federal law. This directly affects all New York state and local government agencies handling personal data.

Enacts the empire state licensing act to provide all New Yorkers with access to professional, occupational, commercial, or business licenses, permits, certificates, or related registrations regardless of an applicant's citizenship or immigration status.

Relates to the form of the juror qualification questionnaire; provides that such questionnaire shall only require a prospective juror who is not a citizen of the United States to certify, under penalty of perjury, that they are not a citizen.

Removes the citizenship requirement for police officers and firefighters; extends eligibility to those legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law.