Criminal Justice

in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 5696: Relates to increasing penalties for assault, obstruction and harassment of an election officer

Includes within the class D felony of assault in the second degree, the intentional causing of physical injury to an election officer while such person is performing their assigned duties; amends aggravated harassment and obstruction of governmental administration to include election officers.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill increases penalties for assault on election officers, expanding criminalization and harsher sentencing, opposing reform efforts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 1132: Establishes the bystander protection act

Establishes the bystander protection act which increases the punishment for an offense when a member of the public is harmed, but the intended target is a public official.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases punishment for attacks on public officials when bystanders are harmed, directly expanding criminalization and harsher sentencing per oppose indicators.95% confidence

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 870: Relates to removing the ten year time period from the crime of persistent sexual abuse

This bill (A 870) removes the requirement that prior convictions for certain sexual abuse offenses must have occurred within the last ten years to qualify as "persistent sexual abuse." It directly affects individuals convicted of multiple sexual abuse offenses by eliminating the time limit on counting past convictions. The key change modifies the penal law definition to allow any prior separate convictions (regardless of when they occurred) to be used in determining persistent sexual abuse charges. Persistent sexual abuse remains classified as a class E felony under the current law.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRemoves 10-year limit on prior convictions for persistent sexual abuse, expanding criminalization and enabling harsher sentences for older offenses, opposing reform-focused criminal justice policies.90% confidence

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 9256: Creates the offense of unlawful funeral protest

This bill makes it illegal to protest within 1,000 feet of a funeral location during specific times: one hour before and one hour after the funeral ceremony. It prohibits activities like loud noise, blocking access to the cemetery, displaying signs (unless part of the service), or distributing materials that disrupt the funeral. Violations are classified as a class B misdemeanor (or class A if repeated), with each day of violation counted separately. The law directly affects protesters who engage in such activities near funerals, aiming to protect the peace of funeral services.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill creates new criminal offense for funeral protests, expanding criminalization without reform intent; directly restricts protest activities via misdemeanor penalties.90% confidence

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 6023: Includes authorized internet entities in the information sex offenders are required to disclose upon registration

This bill expands sex offender registration requirements in New York by adding "authorized internet entities" (specific online services or platforms) to the list of information offenders must disclose upon registration. It requires sex offenders to report changes to their internet accounts, identifiers, or the specific online services they use within 10 days, similar to reporting address changes. A $10 fee applies each time an offender registers such changes to internet-related information. The law directly affects registered sex offenders who use internet services, mandating broader disclosure of their online activity to law enforcement.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands sex offender registration requirements, increasing restrictions on offenders without reform elements; aligns with 'expands criminalization' indicator.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 151: Relates to qualifying offenses for pre-trial detention

Relates to qualifying offenses for pre-trial detention; adds class B felonies under article two hundred twenty of the penal law as qualifying offenses.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeAdds class B felonies to pre-trial detention, expanding criminalization and reducing defendant rights by increasing mandatory detention for more offenses.85% confidence

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 5449: Relates to increasing the penalties for assault on police officers, peace officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians

Increases the penalties for assault on police officers, peace officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians causing physical injury or serious physical injury.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases penalties for assaulting first responders, expanding criminalization and harsher sentencing per bill language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing Violent Crime

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 5443: Relates to unlawful possession or sale of imitation drug paraphernalia

Establishes the crime of unlawful possession or sale of imitation drug paraphernalia when such person knowingly possesses, purchases, delivers, sells, or possesses with intent to sell or deliver any punch, die, plate, stone, pill press, tableting machine, encapsulating machine or any other equipment in order to print, imprint, or reproduce the trademark, trade name or other identifying mark, imprint or device of another or any likeness of any of the foregoing upon any substance or container or labeling thereof knowing, intending, or having reasonable cause to believe that it will be used to manufacture an imitation drug.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill creates new crime for possessing equipment to counterfeit drug labels, expanding criminalization per indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

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passed · New York · Senate Apr 24, 2025

S 3831: Relates to removing the ten year time period from the crime of persistent sexual abuse

Bill S 3831 amends the state's penal law regarding the crime of persistent sexual abuse. Currently, a person can be charged with persistent sexual abuse if they commit certain sexual abuse offenses and have two or more prior convictions for similar crimes within a ten-year period, excluding time incarcerated. This bill removes that ten-year time limit for prior convictions. As a result, any qualifying past convictions, regardless of when they occurred, would count towards a charge of persistent sexual abuse, affecting how individuals with multiple past sexual abuse convictions are prosecuted for subsequent offenses.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill removes ten-year limit for prior convictions in persistent sexual abuse, increasing sentencing severity by including older convictions. Aligns with 'increases mandatory sentences' indicator for oppose.90% confidence

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 4092: Establishes the crime of homicide by sale of an opiate controlled substance

This bill creates a new class A-1 felony offense for unlawfully selling or transporting an opiate controlled substance (as defined by public health law) that causes another person's death. It directly affects individuals who sell or transport opiates (like heroin or fentanyl) when such actions result in fatalities. The law includes a limited defense if the defendant jointly used the substance with the deceased for mutual consumption. The offense carries the highest felony penalty under New York law, with the bill named "Laree's Law" in recognition of opioid-related deaths.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new class A-1 felony for opiate sales causing death, increasing penalties and expanding criminalization without reform elements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Violent Crime

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