S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1738
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
January 16, 2019
___________
Introduced by Sens. BAILEY, ADDABBO, BIAGGI, BRESLIN, CARLUCCI, COMRIE,
KAVANAGH, KRUEGER, MONTGOMERY, RIVERA -- read twice and ordered print-
ed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the criminal procedure law, in relation to time limits
for a speedy trial
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as "Kalief's law".
§ 2. Section 30.30 of the criminal procedure law, as added by chapter
184 of the laws of 1972, paragraph (a) of subdivision 3 as amended by
chapter 93 of the laws of 2006, paragraph (a) of subdivision 4 as
amended by chapter 558 of the laws of 1982, paragraph (c) of subdivision
4 as amended by chapter 631 of the laws of 1996, paragraph (h) of subdi-
vision 4 as added by chapter 837 of the laws of 1986, paragraph (i) of
subdivision 4 as added by chapter 446 of the laws of 1993, paragraph (j)
of subdivision 4 as added by chapter 222 of the laws of 1994, paragraph
(b) of subdivision 5 as amended by chapter 109 of the laws of 1982,
paragraphs (e) and (f) of subdivision 5 as added by chapter 209 of the
laws of 1990, is amended to read as follows:
§ 30.30 Speedy trial; time limitations.
1. Except as otherwise provided in subdivision three, a motion made
pursuant to paragraph (e) of subdivision one of section 170.30 or para-
graph (g) of subdivision one of section 210.20 must be granted where the
people are not ready for trial within:
(a) six months of the commencement of a criminal action wherein a
defendant is accused of one or more offenses, at least one of which is a
felony;
(b) ninety days of the commencement of a criminal action wherein a
defendant is accused of one or more offenses, at least one of which is a
misdemeanor punishable by a sentence of imprisonment of more than three
months and none of which is a felony;
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05618-01-9
S. 1738 2
(c) sixty days of the commencement of a criminal action wherein the
defendant is accused of one or more offenses, at least one of which is a
misdemeanor punishable by a sentence of imprisonment of not more than
three months and none of which is a crime punishable by a sentence of
imprisonment of more than three months; OR
(d) thirty days of the commencement of a criminal action wherein the
defendant is accused of one or more offenses, at least one of which is a
violation and none of which is a crime.
(E) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE TERM OFFENSE SHALL
INCLUDE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW INFRACTIONS.
2. Except as provided in subdivision three, where a defendant has been
committed to the custody of the sheriff OR THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND
FAMILY SERVICES in a criminal action he OR SHE must be released on bail
or on his OR HER own recognizance, upon such conditions as may be just
and reasonable, if the people are not ready for trial in that criminal
action within:
(a) ninety days from the commencement of his OR HER commitment to the
custody of the sheriff OR THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES in
a criminal action wherein the defendant is accused of one or more
offenses, at least one of which is a felony;
(b) thirty days from the commencement of his OR HER commitment to the
custody of the sheriff OR THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES in
a criminal action wherein the defendant is accused of one or more
offenses, at least one of which is a misdemeanor punishable by a
sentence of imprisonment of more than three months and none of which is
a felony;
(c) fifteen days from the commencement of his OR HER commitment to the
custody of the sheriff OR THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES in
a criminal action wherein the defendant is accused of one or more
offenses, at least one of which is a misdemeanor punishable by a
sentence of imprisonment of not more than three months and none of which
is a crime punishable by a sentence of imprisonment of more than three
months; OR
(d) five days from the commencement of his OR HER commitment to the
custody of the sheriff OR THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES in
a criminal action wherein the defendant is accused of one or more
offenses, at least one of which is a violation and none of which is a
crime.
(E) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE TERM OFFENSE SHALL
INCLUDE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW INFRACTIONS.
3. (a) Subdivisions one and two do not apply to a criminal action
wherein the defendant is accused of an offense defined in sections
125.10, 125.15, 125.20, 125.25, 125.26 and 125.27 of the penal law.
(b) A motion made pursuant to subdivisions one or two upon expiration
of the specified period may be denied where the people are not ready for
trial if the people were ready for trial prior to the expiration of the
specified period and their present unreadiness is due to some excep-
tional fact or circumstance, including, but not limited to, the sudden
unavailability of evidence material to the people's case, when the
district attorney has exercised due diligence to obtain such evidence
and there are reasonable grounds to believe that such evidence will
become available in a reasonable period.
(c) A motion made pursuant to subdivision two shall not:
(i) apply to any defendant who is serving a term of imprisonment for
another offense;
S. 1738 3
(ii) require the release from custody of any defendant who is also
being held in custody pending trial of another criminal charge as to
which the applicable period has not yet elapsed;
(iii) prevent the redetention of or otherwise apply to any defendant
who, after being released from custody pursuant to this section or
otherwise, is charged with another crime or violates the conditions on
which he has been released, by failing to appear at a judicial proceed-
ing at which his presence is required or otherwise.
4. In computing the time within which the people must be ready for
trial pursuant to subdivisions one and two, the following periods must
be excluded:
(a) a reasonable period of delay resulting from other proceedings
concerning the defendant, including but not limited to: proceedings for
the determination of competency and the period during which defendant is
incompetent to stand trial; demand to produce; request for a bill of
particulars; pre-trial motions; appeals; trial of other charges; and the
period during which such matters are under consideration by the court;
or
(b) the period of delay resulting from a continuance granted by the
court at the request of, or with the consent of, the defendant or his OR
HER counsel. The court [must] MAY grant such a continuance only if it is
satisfied that postponement is in the interest of justice, taking into
account the public interest in the prompt dispositions of criminal
charges. A defendant without counsel must not be deemed to have
consented to a continuance unless he OR SHE has been advised by the
court of his OR HER rights under these rules and the effect of his
consent, WHICH MUST BE DONE ON THE RECORD IN OPEN COURT; or
(c) (i) the period of delay resulting from the absence or unavailabil-
ity of the defendant. A defendant must be considered absent whenever his
location is unknown and he is attempting to avoid apprehension or prose-
cution, or his location cannot be determined by due diligence. A defend-
ant must be considered unavailable whenever his location is known but
his presence for trial cannot be obtained by due diligence; or
(ii) where the defendant has either escaped from custody or has failed
to appear when required after having previously been released on bail or
on his own recognizance, and provided the defendant is not in custody on
another matter, the period extending from the day the court issues a
bench warrant pursuant to section 530.70 because of the defendant's
failure to appear in court when required, to the day the defendant
subsequently appears in the court pursuant to a bench warrant or volun-
tarily or otherwise; or
(d) a reasonable period of delay when the defendant is joined for
trial with a co-defendant as to whom the time for trial pursuant to this
section has not run and good cause is not shown for granting a sever-
ance; or
(e) the period of delay resulting from detention of the defendant in
another jurisdiction provided the district attorney is aware of such
detention and has been diligent and has made reasonable efforts to
obtain the presence of the defendant for trial; or
(f) the period during which the defendant is without counsel through
no fault of the court; except when the defendant is proceeding as his
own attorney with the permission of the court; or
(g) other periods of delay occasioned by exceptional circumstances,
including but not limited to, the period of delay resulting from a
continuance granted at the request of a district attorney if (i) the
continuance is granted because of the unavailability of evidence materi-
S. 1738 4
al to the people's case, when the district attorney has exercised due
diligence to obtain such evidence and there are reasonable grounds to
believe that such evidence will become available in a reasonable period;
or (ii) the continuance is granted to allow the district attorney addi-
tional time to prepare the people's case and additional time is justi-
fied by the exceptional circumstances of the case. ANY SUCH EXCLUSION
WHEN A STATEMENT OF UNREADINESS HAS FOLLOWED A STATEMENT OF READINESS
MADE BY THE PEOPLE MUST BE EVALUATED BY THE COURT AFTER INQUIRY ON THE
RECORD AS TO THE REASONS FOR THE PEOPLE'S UNREADINESS AND SHALL ONLY BE
APPROVED UPON A SHOWING OF SUFFICIENT SUPPORTING FACTS; OR
(h) the period during which an action has been adjourned in contem-
plation of dismissal pursuant to sections 170.55, 170.56 and 215.10 of
this chapter[.]; OR
(i) [The] THE period prior to the defendant's actual appearance for
arraignment in a situation in which the defendant has been directed to
appear by the district attorney pursuant to subdivision three of section
120.20 or subdivision three of section 210.10[.]; OR
(j) the period during which a family offense is before a family court
until such time as an accusatory instrument or indictment is filed
against the defendant alleging a crime constituting a family offense, as
such term is defined in section 530.11 of this chapter.
5. WHENEVER PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION A PROSECUTOR STATES OR OTHERWISE
PROVIDES NOTICE THAT THE PEOPLE ARE READY FOR TRIAL, THE COURT SHALL
MAKE INQUIRY ON THE RECORD AS TO THEIR ACTUAL READINESS. IF, AFTER
CONDUCTING ITS INQUIRY, THE COURT DETERMINES THAT THE PEOPLE ARE NOT
READY TO PROCEED TO TRIAL, THE PROSECUTOR'S STATEMENT OR NOTICE OF READ-
INESS SHALL NOT BE VALID FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION. FOLLOWING A
DEMAND TO PRODUCE BY A DEFENDANT PURSUANT TO SECTION 240.20, ANY STATE-
MENT OF TRIAL READINESS MUST BE ACCOMPANIED OR PRECEDED BY A CERTIF-
ICATION OF GOOD FAITH COMPLIANCE WITH THE DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS OF
SECTION 240.20 AND THE DEFENSE SHALL BE AFFORDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE
HEARD ON THE RECORD AS TO WHETHER THE DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN
MET. THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL NOT APPLY TO CASES WHERE THE DEFENSE HAS
WAIVED DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS.
5-A. UPON A LOCAL CRIMINAL COURT ACCUSATORY INSTRUMENT, A STATEMENT OF
READINESS SHALL NOT BE VALID UNLESS ALL COUNTS CHARGED IN THE ACCUSATORY
INSTRUMENT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUBDIVISIONS ONE, TWO OR THREE OF
SECTION 100.40 OF THIS CHAPTER AND THE PROSECUTION MOVES TO DISMISS ANY
COUNTS NOT MEETING SUCH.
6. IN COMPUTING THE TIME WITHIN WHICH THE PEOPLE MUST BE READY FOR
TRIAL, PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION, NO PERIOD OF DELAY
RESULTING FROM COURT CONGESTION SHALL BE EXCLUDED.
7. IN COMPUTING THE TIME WITHIN WHICH THE PEOPLE MUST BE READY FOR
TRIAL, PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPHS (B), (C) AND (D) OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF
THIS SECTION, NO PERIOD OF DELAY RESULTING FROM COURT CONGESTION SHALL
BE EXCLUDED.
[5.] 8. For purposes of this section, (a) where the defendant is to be
tried following the withdrawal of the plea of guilty or is to be retried
following a mistrial, an order for a new trial or an appeal or collat-
eral attack, the criminal action and the commitment to the custody of
the sheriff OR THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, if any, must
be deemed to have commenced on the date the withdrawal of the plea of
guilty or the date the order occasioning a retrial becomes final;
(b) where a defendant has been served with an appearance ticket, the
criminal action must be deemed to have commenced on the date the defend-
ant first appears in a local criminal court in response to the ticket;
S. 1738 5
(c) where a criminal action is commenced by the filing of a felony
complaint, and thereafter, in the course of the same criminal action
either the felony complaint is replaced with or converted to an informa-
tion, prosecutor's information or misdemeanor complaint pursuant to
article [180] ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY or a prosecutor's information is filed
pursuant to section 190.70, the period applicable for the purposes of
subdivision one must be the period applicable to the charges in the new
accusatory instrument, calculated from the date of the filing of such
new accusatory instrument; provided, however, that when the aggregate of
such period and the period of time, excluding the periods provided in
subdivision four, already elapsed from the date of the filing of the
felony complaint to the date of the filing of the new accusatory instru-
ment exceeds six months, the period applicable to the charges in the
felony complaint must remain applicable and continue as if the new accu-
satory instrument had not been filed;
(d) where a criminal action is commenced by the filing of a felony
complaint, and thereafter, in the course of the same criminal action
either the felony complaint is replaced with or converted to an informa-
tion, prosecutor's information or misdemeanor complaint pursuant to
article [180] ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY or a prosecutor's information is filed
pursuant to section 190.70, the period applicable for the purposes of
subdivision two must be the period applicable to the charges in the new
accusatory instrument, calculated from the date of the filing of such
new accusatory instrument; provided, however, that when the aggregate of
such period and the period of time, excluding the periods provided in
subdivision four, already elapsed from the date of the filing of the
felony complaint to the date of the filing of the new accusatory instru-
ment exceeds ninety days, the period applicable to the charges in the
felony complaint must remain applicable and continue as if the new accu-
satory instrument had not been filed.
(e) where a count of an indictment is reduced to charge only a misde-
meanor or petty offense and a reduced indictment or a prosecutor's
information is filed pursuant to subdivisions one-a and six of section
210.20, the period applicable for the purposes of subdivision one of
this section must be the period applicable to the charges in the new
accusatory instrument, calculated from the date of the filing of such
new accusatory instrument; provided, however, that when the aggregate of
such period and the period of time, excluding the periods provided in
subdivision four of this section, already elapsed from the date of the
filing of the indictment to the date of the filing of the new accusatory
instrument exceeds six months, the period applicable to the charges in
the indictment must remain applicable and continue as if the new accusa-
tory instrument had not been filed;
(f) where a count of an indictment is reduced to charge only a misde-
meanor or petty offense and a reduced indictment or a prosecutor's
information is filed pursuant to subdivisions one-a and six of section
210.20, the period applicable for the purposes of subdivision two of
this section must be the period applicable to the charges in the new
accusatory instrument, calculated from the date of the filing of such
new accusatory instrument; provided, however, that when the aggregate of
such period and the period of time, excluding the periods provided in
subdivision four of this section, already elapsed from the date of the
filing of the indictment to the date of the filing of the new accusatory
instrument exceeds ninety days, the period applicable to the charges in
the indictment must remain applicable and continue as if the new accusa-
tory instrument had not been filed.
S. 1738 6
[6.] 9. The procedural rules prescribed in subdivisions one through
seven of section 210.45 with respect to a motion to dismiss an indict-
ment are [also] NOT applicable to a motion made pursuant to subdivision
two. IF, UPON ORAL ARGUMENT, A TIME PERIOD IS IN DISPUTE, THE COURT
MUST PROMPTLY CONDUCT A HEARING IN WHICH THE PEOPLE MUST PROVE THAT THE
TIME PERIOD IS EXCLUDABLE.
§ 3. Section 180.85 of the criminal procedure law is amended by adding
a new subdivision 6-a to read as follows:
6-A. AN ORDER FINALLY DENYING A MOTION TO DISMISS PURSUANT TO SUBDIVI-
SION ONE OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE REVIEWABLE UPON AN APPEAL FROM AN
ENSUING JUDGMENT OF CONVICTION NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT THAT SUCH JUDG-
MENT IS ENTERED UPON A PLEA OF GUILTY.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
have become a law.