Criminal Justice (Violent Crime)

in committee · New York · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 8873: Enacts the "first responders assault prevention act"

Enacts the "first responders assault prevention act" which increases the offense classification for assault on a peace officer, police officer, firefighter or emergency medical services professional from a class C felony to a class B felony.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases penalties for assaulting first responders by upgrading felony classification, expanding criminalization per OPPOSE indicators.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects EMTs (emergency medical services professionals) from assault, safeguarding healthcare workforce safety per bill's focus on medical professionals.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing Violent Crime

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 14, 2026

A 9550: Relates to assault in the second degree of an operator or crew of a passenger commuter ferry

This bill amends New York's penal law to explicitly include operators and crew of passenger commuter ferries as protected individuals under assault in the second degree. It expands the existing definition to specify that intentionally causing physical injury to these ferry workers during their duties constitutes a more serious offense. The law directly affects ferry operators, crew members, and other transit workers (like train operators, bus drivers, station cleaners, and sanitation staff) who perform assigned duties on transportation systems. The key change is adding ferry personnel to the list of protected workers, making assault against them a specific criminal violation under the law.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill expands assault law to protect ferry workers, making assaults a more serious offense, thus strengthening legal protection for transit workers under criminal justice.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands legal protections for ferry workers against assault, strengthening workplace safety by classifying such acts as second-degree assault.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationProtects ferry workers from assault, enhancing safety for public transit personnel, aligning with transportation safety support90% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime Public Transit

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 20, 2026

S 8942: Relates to assaults against water authority employees

S 8942 elevates assaults against water authority employees performing their duties to a felony offense. It directly affects workers employed by public benefit corporations (like water utilities) governed by Article 5 of New York’s Public Authorities Law. The bill adds a new provision (Subdivision 11-d) to the penal law, making it a felony to cause physical injury to these employees while they are supplying water to residents. This changes the legal penalty from a misdemeanor to a felony for this specific type of assault, without altering other existing protections for public safety or emergency personnel.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeElevates assaults on water authority employees from misdemeanor to felony, increasing penalties for specific offenses against public workers, aligning with 'increases mandatory sentences' indicator.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill strengthens workplace safety protections for water authority employees by elevating assault penalties to felony, directly advancing worker safety under Labor & Employment.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 8895: Establishes a new assault crime for an assault on a retired police officer who previously arrested the assailant

Establishes a new assault crime for an assault on a retired police officer who previously arrested the assailant; establishes that assaulting such a retired police officer with intent to seek retribution is assault in the first degree.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new felony assault charge for targeting retired officers with retribution intent, expanding criminalization of specific offenses.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing Violent Crime

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 30, 2026

A 9613: Enacts the family protection act; repealer

This bill amends New York's Family Court Act to strengthen protections for children in custody cases. It adds specific grounds for terminating parental rights, including when a parent is convicted of certain violent crimes against a child (like assault in the second degree) or has had parental rights terminated for a sibling. The law requires courts to find that reunification efforts would be "in the best interests of the child" before ending parental rights in these situations. It directly affects parents facing custody proceedings involving serious criminal histories or prior family court decisions.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill links parental rights termination to criminal convictions (e.g., violent crimes against children), strengthening child protection within family court's application of criminal justice outcomes.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Violent Crime

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passed · New York · Senate May 19, 2026

S 8624: Permits courts to award punitive damages against an estate for sexual abuse

This bill allows courts to award punitive damages against the estate of a deceased person accused of sexual abuse, assault, misconduct, or sex trafficking of minors or adults. It removes the barrier of the defendant's death, enabling victims to pursue punitive damages against the personal representative of the estate in civil lawsuits. The standard for proving punitive damages under this law is a "preponderance of the evidence," and the bill explicitly states that such claims cannot be limited or ended by the defendant's death. It applies to all pending and future cases filed on or after the effective date.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnables victims to pursue punitive damages against estates of abusers, enhancing accountability and access to justice in sexual abuse cases, aligning with criminal justice reform goals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking Violent Crime

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 9416: Increases the offense classification for certain assault offenses regarding police officers and peace officers

This bill raises penalties for assaulting certain public safety personnel in New York. It specifically increases second-degree assault on police officers, peace officers, firefighters, EMTs, sanitation workers, and other essential service workers from a class D felony to a class C felony (up to 15 years in prison). The law expands protections to include these workers when they're performing official duties, such as a sanitation worker enforcing regulations or a firefighter providing medical aid. It also upgrades aggravated assault on officers to a class A felony (up to 25 years). The bill applies directly to individuals who cause physical injury to these protected personnel while they're carrying out their jobs.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill increases penalties for assaulting officers (class D to C felony), expanding criminalization and harsher sentences for violence against public safety workers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Policing Violent Crime

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 908: Prohibits persons convicted of murder or sentenced to life without parole from being eligible for commutation of sentence

Prohibits persons convicted of murder or sentenced to life without parole or where the defendant acting either alone or with one or more other persons, commits or attempts to commit robbery, burglary, kidnapping, arson, rape in the first degree, criminal sexual act in the first degree, sexual abuse in the first degree, aggravated sexual abuse, escape in the first degree, or escape in the second degree, and, in the course of and in furtherance of such crime or of immediate flight therefrom, such defendant, or another participant, if there be any, intentionally causes the death of: a police officer; a peace officer; a firefighter; emergency medical technician, ambulance driver, paramedic, physician or registered nurse involved in a first response team, or any other individual who, in the course of official duties, performs emergency response; or an employee of a state correctional institution or was an employee of a local correctional facility, when such person was engaged in the course of performing their official duties, from being eligible for commutation of sentence.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeProhibits commutation for violent offenders (murder, robbery, etc.), restricting sentence flexibility and opposing reform efforts by hardening sentencing95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing Probation & Parole Violent Crime

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 4585: Relates to assault in the second degree

Makes the crime of preventing an elected official from performing a lawful duty or essential service a class D felony of assault in the second degree.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill expands criminalization by elevating interference with officials to a felony, increasing penalties without reform focus.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 1681: Relates to on duty auxiliary police officers

Relates to an increase in punishment for certain actions against on-duty auxiliary police officers such as criminally negligent homicide, assault or menacing of such officer.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeIncreases penalties for assaults on auxiliary police officers, strengthening law enforcement safety within criminal justice framework.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing Violent Crime

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