Bills affecting Formerly incarcerated or family of in New York (2026 session)

Requires the division of criminal justice services to check the wanted felon status and probation or parole violator status of people applying for public assistance.

Clarifies that employment at any licensee under the cannabis law satisfies employment requirements for parole, probation or other state supervision unless the terms and conditions of said parole, probation, or state supervision explicitly prohibit such employment.

Provides for findings of the state board of parole necessary for discretionary release of incarcerated individuals on parole.

Relates to parole eligibility for certain incarcerated persons age fifty-five or older if they have served at least fifteen years of their sentence or sentences.

Relates to the former crime of loitering for the purpose of engaging in a prostitution offense; expunges criminal records for persons previously convicted of such crime; directs the chief administrator of the courts to provide information regarding such expungement; adds language to identify that the crime of loitering for the purpose of engaging in a prostitution offense is no longer in law.

Makes life imprisonment without parole mandatory for defendants convicted of murder in the first degree or second degree and the victim is a police officer, peace officer, first responder or correctional officer.

Requires a sentence of life imprisonment without parole for murder in the first degree, aggravated murder, and murder in the second degree.

Relates to expungement of records for certain juveniles convicted of a nonviolent offense after seven years and satisfactory completion of such person's probation, parole, supervised release and payment of any fines imposed or restitution ordered, whichever is later.

Establishes the parole board accountability act which requires incarcerated individuals who are released on parole, via a vote that is not unanimous, be placed in the community where one of the two board members primarily reside; establishes the procedure of which of the two board member's community the releasee shall be released to.

Allows victim impact statements in New York state be video recorded; requires that the members of the parole board and all presiding commissioners for such hearing review all relevant victim impact statements prior to the conduct of a parole hearing and to sign a written attestation confirming that they have done so.

Requires the notification of a crime victim or witness of the death of the accused if such person dies during pending judicial proceedings or during any period of incarceration, parole or post-release supervision, or when an order of protection exists.

Establishes the reentry assistance program; provides for eligible incarcerated individuals to receive a monthly stipend upon release from a state correctional facility; makes an appropriation of $25,000,000.

Extends the maximum number of months for the reconsideration of denied applications by the parole board for parole for certain violent felony offenses from 24 months to 60 months.

Allows for the removal of members of the state board of parole by a majority vote in the senate and the assembly; requires three or more members of such board personally interview potential parolees; requires that the determination to parole an incarcerated individual be unanimous.

Strengthens protections for patients regarding sexual misconduct by medical providers; requires medical expert consultants involved in investigations disclose conflicts of interest and to not be under investigation, on warning, or on probation; requires a zero-tolerance policy to be adopted and training to be provided on sexual misconduct by the board for professional misconduct; includes provisions related to the right to have a chaperone; includes sexual misconduct in the definition of professional misconduct.

Relates to the confidentiality and expungement of records in juvenile delinquency cases in the family court; requires certain records to be expunged automatically.

Provides judges with more discretion to impose bail on principals charged with a felony, principals charged with a misdemeanor when awaiting trial for another crime, principals who are a threat to the safety and security of the community, principals charged with a felony serving a sentence of probation or while released to post release supervision; requires principals who have been charged with an offense related to three separate alleged instances of criminal activity are committed to the custody of the sheriff.

Includes intentionally selecting a victim based on certain actual or perceived traits in the crime of murder in the first degree; provides that sentence for commission of certain provisions of murder in the first degree is death or life without parole.

Requires mental health services for incarcerated individuals with mental health issues related to the trauma of incarceration upon reentry and reintegration into society upon release.

Provides that a person convicted of murder in the first or second degree, or aggravated murder, in the death of a child who is less than thirteen years old shall be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.