This bill (S 1819) ensures that urine test results from judicial diversion programs - where defendants avoid jail by completing treatment instead of facing criminal charges - are kept private and confidential. It directly affects individuals participating in these programs who undergo required drug testing as part of their court-ordered treatment. The law prohibits sharing test results with courts, prosecutors, or other parties without the defendant’s consent, and bans using positive results as evidence in future criminal cases. Treatment programs may still access results to support care, but the defendant’s privacy is protected from legal proceedings. The bill does not change testing requirements but safeguards the confidentiality of sensitive health information.
Relates to making technical corrections to ensure gender neutrality for the admission to practice law and preventing the character fitness questionnaire from inquiring into an applicant's prior interaction with law enforcement or the criminal justice system under certain circumstances.
This bill adds ammunition to the list of items prohibited from purchase or disposal after certain criminal convictions. It expands existing law that already bans firearm transactions for people barred from firearm possession due to prior convictions or disabilities. Now, individuals prohibited from owning firearms cannot legally buy or give away ammunition. Violating this provision would be classified as a class D felony.
This bill (S 3974) amends New York State correction law to ensure incarcerated individuals do not lose earned time allowances if they fail to complete assigned work or treatment programs due to circumstances beyond their control (e.g., medical issues or facility disruptions). It specifically revises sections of the correction law to clarify that time credits - earned through good behavior, program participation, or educational/vocational achievements - must not be withheld for such unavoidable circumstances. The policy directly affects incarcerated people in state facilities who qualify for time reductions under existing programs. The change aligns with current provisions but explicitly prevents punitive withholding of time allowances for factors outside an individual’s control.
This bill expands the enforcement powers of the Office of Cannabis Management to allow for the seizure of cannabis products and related items found in the possession of individuals suspected of violating cannabis laws. The key provision authorizes the office to conduct reasonable searches and confiscate such goods, including those in vehicles used for business, when there is probable cause of unlawful conduct. These actions are intended to be administrative measures designed to ensure consistent application of the regulatory scheme rather than criminal penalties. The changes apply immediately to the existing cannabis law framework.
Establishes through the department of health a drug checking services program to allow individuals to bring drugs or controlled substances and have them tested for contaminants, toxic substances, or hazardous compounds; requires the department to establish public health surveillance of the unregulated drug supply; provides exemptions for participants in the drug checking program from certain controlled substance offenses.
Prohibits the release of a consumer's electrical or gas consumption data to any police officer, or private, local, state or federal law enforcement entity without a judicial court-ordered subpoena, warrant or the consumer's written consent.
Requires public agencies to establish preliminary license application procedures to determine whether an applicant for a license would be ineligible for such license based on criminal history; establishes time frames for public agencies to respond to such applications; requires public agencies to report information regarding granting licenses annually.
Enacts "Tucker's law"; removes the provision that provides that any term of imprisonment for a violation of aggravated cruelty to animals may not exceed two years.
Categorizes the assault of certain employees of the New York city department of buildings or the New York city department of housing preservation and development as a class D felony.
