S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2280
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 16, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  WEBB,  MAYER,  ROLISON  -- read twice and ordered
   printed, and when printed to be committed to the  Committee  on  Crime
   Victims, Crime and Correction
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  executive  law and the general business law, in
   relation to requiring a lethality assessment in incidents of  domestic
   violence

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 646 of the executive law, as added
 by chapter 152 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
   3. An individual who has been the victim in this  state  of  a  family
 offense  as defined in subdivision one of section 530.11 of the criminal
 procedure law or section eight hundred twelve of the  family  court  act
 may,  upon  alleging  that  it would be a hardship for [him or her] SUCH
 INDIVIDUAL to make such complaint in the  local  jurisdiction  in  which
 such  offense  occurred,  make  a complaint to any local law enforcement
 agency in the state regardless of where the act took place.  Such  local
 law enforcement agency shall take a police report of the matter, as well
 as prepare a domestic [violence] incident report WHICH INCLUDES LETHALI-
 TY  ASSESSMENT  QUESTIONS  as  defined in subdivision fifteen of section
 eight hundred thirty-seven of this chapter and provide  the  complainant
 with  a  copy of such report free of charge. A copy of the police report
 and completed domestic [violence] incident report, INCLUDING THE LETHAL-
 ITY ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS shall be promptly forwarded to the  appropriate
 law  enforcement  agency  with  jurisdiction over the location where the
 incident is reported to have occurred for the purposes of further inves-
 tigation.
   § 2. Subdivision 15 of section 837 of the executive law, as  added  by
 chapter  222 of the laws of 1994 and the opening paragraph as amended by
 chapter 432 of the laws of 2015, is amended to read as follows:

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03826-01-5
 S. 2280                             2
              

 
   15. Promulgate, in  consultation  with  the  superintendent  of  state
 police and the state office for the prevention of domestic violence, and
 in  accordance  with paragraph (f) of subdivision three of section eight
 hundred forty of this article, a standardized "domestic [violence] inci-
 dent report form" for use by state and local law enforcement agencies in
 the  reporting,  recording and investigation of all alleged incidents of
 domestic violence, regardless of whether an arrest is made as  a  result
 of  such  investigation.  Such form shall be prepared in multiple parts,
 one of which shall be immediately provided  to  the  victim,  and  shall
 include  designated  spaces  for:  the recordation of the results of the
 investigation by the law enforcement agency and the basis for any action
 taken; the recordation of a victim's allegations of  domestic  violence;
 the  age and gender of the victim and the alleged offender or offenders;
 and immediately thereunder a space on which  the  victim  may  sign  and
 verify  such victim's allegations. Such form shall also include, but not
 be limited to spaces to identify:
   (a) what other services or agencies,  including  but  not  limited  to
 medical,  shelter,  advocacy  and  other supportive services are or have
 previously been involved with the victim; [and]
   (b) whether the victim has  been  provided  with  the  written  notice
 described  in  subdivision  five  of section eight hundred twelve of the
 family court act and subdivision six of section 530.11 of  the  criminal
 procedure law[.]; AND
   (C) THE RESULTS OF A LETHALITY ASSESSMENT. BY JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOU-
 SAND  TWENTY-SIX,  THE DIVISION, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE NEW YORK STATE
 OFFICE FOR THE PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND  STAKEHOLDERS,  SHALL
 UPDATE  THE  DOMESTIC INCIDENT REPORT FORM AND DEVELOP  TRAINING FOR LAW
 ENFORCEMENT. TRAINING ON HOW TO  ADMINISTER  SUCH  ASSESSMENT  SHALL  BE
 DELIVERED BY THE OFFICE FOR THE PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. ALL LAW
 ENFORCEMENT  OFFICERS SHALL SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE SUCH TRAINING BY JANU-
 ARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SEVEN. BEGINNING JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOU-
 SAND TWENTY-SEVEN, SUCH TRAINING SHALL BE INCORPORATED INTO ANY TRAINING
 REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
   (I) TO ADMINISTER THE LETHALITY ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS, A  LAW  ENFORCE-
 MENT OFFICER SHALL ASK THE VICTIM, IN THE SAME OR SIMILAR WORDING AND IN
 THE  SAME  ORDER, ALL OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THE
 DIVISION, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE OFFICE FOR THE PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC
 VIOLENCE, SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE GUIDANCE TO  AMEND,  SUPPLE-
 MENT, OR REMOVE ANY OF SUCH QUESTIONS:
   (1)  HAVE THEY EVER USED A WEAPON AGAINST YOU OR THREATENED YOU WITH A
 WEAPON?
   (2) DID THEY EVER THREATEN TO KILL YOU, YOUR CHILDREN, OR YOUR PETS?
   (3) DO YOU BELIEVE THEY WILL TRY TO KILL YOU OR  HAVE  THEY  TRIED  TO
 KILL YOU?
   (4) HAVE THEY EVER STRANGLED OR CHOKED YOU OR ATTEMPTED TO STRANGLE OR
 CHOKE YOU?
   (5) DO THEY HAVE A FIREARM OR COULD THEY GET ONE EASILY?
   (6)  ARE THEY VIOLENTLY OR CONSTANTLY JEALOUS, OR DO THEY CONTROL MOST
 OF YOUR DAILY ACTIVITIES?
   (7) HAVE YOU LEFT THEM OR SEPARATED FROM THEM AFTER LIVING TOGETHER OR
 BEING MARRIED?
   (8) ARE THEY UNEMPLOYED?
   (9) HAVE THEY EVER TRIED TO KILL THEMSELVES?
   (10) DO YOU HAVE A CHILD WHOM THEY BELIEVE  IS  NOT  THEIR  BIOLOGICAL
 CHILD?
   (11) DO THEY FOLLOW, SPY ON, OR SEND THREATENING MESSAGES TO YOU?
 S. 2280                             3
 
   (12) IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WORRIES YOU ABOUT YOUR SAFETY AND, IF
 SO, WHAT WORRIES YOU?
   (13) ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THE DIVISION, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE OFFICE
 FOR THE PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SHALL DEEM NECESSARY.
   (II)  A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER SHALL ADVISE THE VICTIM OF THE RESULTS
 OF THE ASSESSMENT AND REFER THE VICTIM TO THE  LOCAL  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE
 PROGRAM AND PROVIDE THE NUMBER OF THE NEW YORK STATE DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL
 VIOLENCE   HOTLINE.   THE  LAW  ENFORCEMENT  OFFICER  SHALL  FOLLOW  ALL
 DIRECTIONS ON THE DOMESTIC INCIDENT REPORT REGARDING  SCORING  RESPONSES
 AND  REFERRALS  BASED  ON  SUCH SCORING, INCLUDING SHARING A COPY OF THE
 REPORT WITH THE LOCAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM AND ANY APPLICABLE  HIGH
 RISK  TEAMS.  IF  THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER DETERMINES THE INFORMATION
 COLLECTED IN RESPONSE TO SUCH QUESTIONS ESTABLISHES CREDIBLE INFORMATION
 THAT AN INDIVIDUAL IS LIKELY TO ENGAGE IN CONDUCT THAT WOULD  RESULT  IN
 SERIOUS  HARM  TO SUCH INDIVIDUAL OR OTHERS, AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH ONE
 OR TWO OF SUBDIVISION (A) OF SECTION 9.39 OF THE MENTAL HYGIENE LAW, THE
 OFFICE SHALL FILE AN APPLICATION FOR AN EXTREME  RISK  PROTECTION  ORDER
 IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  SECTION SIXTY-THREE HUNDRED FORTY-ONE OF THE CIVIL
 PRACTICE LAW AND RULES.
   (III) IF THE VICTIM DOES NOT, OR IS UNABLE TO, PROVIDE INFORMATION  TO
 A  LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFI-
 CER TO ADMINISTER A LETHALITY ASSESSMENT, THE  LAW  ENFORCEMENT  OFFICER
 SHALL NOTE THE LACK OF A LETHALITY ASSESSMENT IN A WRITTEN POLICE REPORT
 AND  ATTEMPT  TO  REFER  THE  VICTIM  TO  THE NEAREST CERTIFIED DOMESTIC
 VIOLENCE PROGRAM OR THE NEW YORK  STATE  DOMESTIC  AND  SEXUAL  VIOLENCE
 HOTLINE.
   § 3. Subdivision (a) of section 214-b of the executive law, as amended
 by chapter 432 of the laws of 2015, is amended to read as follows:
   (a)  intake  and recording of victim statements, and the prompt trans-
 lation of such statements if made in a language other than  English,  in
 accordance  with  subdivision  (c)  of  this  section, on a standardized
 "domestic [violence] incident report  form"  promulgated  by  the  state
 division  of  criminal  justice services in consultation with the super-
 intendent and with the state  office  for  the  prevention  of  domestic
 violence,  and  the  investigation  thereof so as to ascertain whether a
 crime has been committed against the victim by a member of the  victim's
 family  or  household as such terms are defined in section eight hundred
 twelve of the family court act and section 530.11 of the criminal proce-
 dure law;
   § 4. Subparagraph 1 of paragraph (f) of subdivision 3 of  section  840
 of  the executive law, as amended by chapter 432 of the laws of 2015, is
 amended to read as follows:
   (1) intake and recording of victim statements, and the  prompt  trans-
 lation  of  such statements if made in a language other than English, in
 accordance with subparagraph three of this paragraph, on a  standardized
 "domestic  [violence]  incident report form" promulgated by the division
 of criminal justice services in consultation with the superintendent  of
 state  police,  representatives  of  local  police  forces and the state
 office for the prevention of domestic violence,  and  the  investigation
 thereof  so  as  to ascertain whether a crime has been committed against
 the victim by a member of the victim's family or household as such terms
 are defined in section eight hundred twelve of the family court act  and
 section 530.11 of the criminal procedure law; and
   §  5.  Subparagraph 5 of paragraph a of subdivision 2 of section 654-a
 of the general business law, as amended by chapter 17  of  the  laws  of
 2013, is amended to read as follows:
 S. 2280                             4
 
   (5)  the  purchaser  of  a  contract signed by more than one purchaser
 provides to the operator a copy of any  of  the  following,  within  six
 months of its issuance, involving domestic violence by another signatory
 of  the  same  contract: (A) a valid domestic [violence] incident report
 form  as  such  term  is defined in subdivision fifteen of section eight
 hundred thirty-seven of the executive law; (B) a  valid  police  report;
 (C)  a  valid  order  of  protection;  or  (D) a signed affidavit from a
 licensed medical or mental health care provider,  employee  of  a  court
 acting  within  the  scope of [his or her] SUCH INDIVIDUAL'S employment,
 social worker, a rape crisis counselor as defined in section  forty-five
 hundred  ten  of the civil practice law and rules, or advocate acting on
 behalf of an agency that assists domestic violence victims. Paragraph  d
 of  this subdivision shall not apply to a purchaser canceling under this
 subparagraph. A claim for termination under this subparagraph  shall  be
 made  in good faith.  Termination under this subparagraph shall require,
 and the provision of any of the items in (A) through (D) of this subpar-
 agraph, for the purposes of  this  subparagraph,  shall  be  presumptive
 evidence of the continued existence of a substantial risk of physical or
 emotional harm to the purchaser or purchaser's child.
   § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.