S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
4347
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 30, 2015
___________
Introduced by M. of A. DAVILA, LENTOL, MOSLEY, OTIS, GOTTFRIED, ROZIC,
ROBINSON, HOOPER, WRIGHT -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ARROYO,
BROOK-KRASNY, MARKEY, McDONOUGH, PERRY, RIVERA, SEPULVEDA, SOLAGES --
read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the executive law and the criminal procedure law, in
relation to translations and notification to be made in other than the
English language in family offense interventions
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 214-b of the executive law, as added by chapter 222
of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
S 214-b. Family offense intervention. The superintendent shall, for
all members of the state police including new and veteran officers,
develop, maintain and disseminate, in consultation with the state office
for the prevention of domestic violence, written policies and procedures
consistent with article eight of the family court act and applicable
provisions of the criminal procedure and domestic relations laws,
regarding the investigation of and intervention in incidents of family
offenses. Such policies and procedures shall make provision for educa-
tion and training in the interpretation and enforcement of New York's
family offense laws, including but not limited to:
(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 divi-
sion of criminal justice services in consultation with the superinten-
dent 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 procedure law;
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03999-01-5
A. 4347 2
(b) the need for immediate intervention in family offenses including
the arrest and detention of alleged offenders, pursuant to subdivision
four of section 140.10 of the criminal procedure law, and notifying
victims of their rights, IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE, IF IDENTIFIED AS
OTHER THAN ENGLISH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (C) OF THIS SECTION,
including but not limited to immediately providing the victim with the
written notice provided in subdivision six of section 530.11 of the
criminal procedure law and subdivision five of section eight hundred
twelve of the family court act.
(C) THE SUPERINTENDENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DIVISION OF CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SERVICES AND THE OFFICE FOR THE PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
SHALL DETERMINE THE LANGUAGES IN WHICH SUCH TRANSLATION REQUIRED BY
SUBDIVISION (A) OF THIS SECTION, AND THE NOTIFICATION REQUIRED PURSUANT
TO SUBDIVISION (B) OF THIS SECTION, SHALL BE PROVIDED. SUCH DETERMI-
NATION SHALL BE BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE NEW YORK STATE POPULATION THAT
SPEAKS EACH LANGUAGE AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT FACTOR. SUCH WRITTEN NOTICE
REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION (B) OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE MADE
AVAILABLE TO ALL STATE POLICE OFFICERS IN THE STATE.
S 2. Paragraph (f) of subdivision 3 of section 840 of the executive
law, as amended by section 5 of part Q of chapter 56 of the laws of
2009, is amended to read as follows:
(f) Develop, maintain and disseminate, in consultation with the state
office for the prevention of domestic violence, written policies and
procedures consistent with article eight of the family court act and
applicable provisions of the criminal procedure and domestic relations
laws, regarding the investigation of and intervention by new and veteran
police officers in incidents of family offenses. Such policies and
procedures shall make provisions for education and training in the
interpretation and enforcement of New York's family offense laws,
including but not limited to:
(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
(2) the need for immediate intervention in family offenses including
the arrest and detention of alleged offenders, pursuant to subdivision
four of section 140.10 of the criminal procedure law, and notifying
victims of their rights, IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE, IF IDENTIFIED AS
OTHER THAN ENGLISH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBPARAGRAPH THREE OF THIS PARA-
GRAPH, including but not limited to immediately providing the victim
with the written notice required in subdivision six of section 530.11 of
the criminal procedure law and subdivision five of section eight hundred
twelve of the family court act;
(3) DETERMINE, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT OF STATE POLICE
AND THE OFFICE FOR THE PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THE LANGUAGES IN
WHICH SUCH TRANSLATION REQUIRED BY SUBPARAGRAPH ONE OF THIS PARAGRAPH,
AND THE NOTIFICATION REQUIRED BY SUBPARAGRAPH TWO OF THIS PARAGRAPH,
SHALL BE PROVIDED. SUCH DETERMINATION SHALL BE BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE
NEW YORK STATE POPULATION THAT SPEAKS EACH LANGUAGE AND ANY OTHER RELE-
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VANT FACTOR. SUCH WRITTEN NOTICE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SUBPARAGRAPH TWO
OF THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE. NOTHING IN THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL PREVENT
THE COUNCIL FROM USING THE DETERMINATIONS MADE BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF
STATE POLICE PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION (C) OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED FOUR-
TEEN-B OF THIS CHAPTER;
S 3. The opening paragraph of subdivision 15 of section 837 of the
executive law, as amended by chapter 626 of the laws of 1997, is amended
to read as follows:
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:
S 4. Subdivision 5 of section 140.10 of the criminal procedure law, as
amended by section 72 of subpart B of part C of chapter 62 of the laws
of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
5. Upon investigating a report of a crime or offense between members
of the same family or household as such terms are defined in section
530.11 of this chapter and section eight hundred twelve of the family
court act, a law enforcement officer shall prepare [and], file, AND
TRANSLATE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION TWO HUNDRED FOURTEEN-B OR EIGHT
HUNDRED FORTY OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW, a written report of the incident, on
a form promulgated pursuant to section eight hundred thirty-seven of the
executive law, including statements made by the victim and by any
witnesses, and make any additional reports required by local law
enforcement policy or regulations. Such report shall be prepared and
filed, whether or not an arrest is made as a result of the officers'
investigation, and shall be retained by the law enforcement agency for a
period of not less than four years. Where the reported incident involved
an offense committed against a person who is sixty-five years of age or
older a copy of the report required by this subdivision shall be sent to
the New York state committee for the coordination of police services to
elderly persons established pursuant to section eight hundred forty-
four-b of the executive law. Where the reported incident involved an
offense committed by an individual known by the law enforcement officer
to be under probation or parole supervision, he or she shall transmit a
copy of the report as soon as practicable to the supervising probation
department or the department of corrections and community supervision.
S 5. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law.