Assembly Bill A6954

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Prohibits the use of robots by police agencies

download bill text pdf

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Current Bill Status - In Assembly Committee

  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2023-A6954 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S3097
Current Committee:
Assembly Codes
Law Section:
Executive Law
Laws Affected:
Add §837-x, Exec L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:
S6418

2023-A6954 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits the use of weaponized robots, non-weaponized robots which may potentially cause injury, or robots being used for surveillance purposes by police agencies.

2023-A6954 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6954
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                May 9, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. MITAYNES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Codes
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to prohibiting the use of
   robots by police agencies
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section  837-x
 to read as follows:
   §  837-X.  USE  OF ROBOTS PROHIBITED. 1.  DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS
 SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A) "ROBOT" MEANS AN ARTIFICIAL OBJECT OR SYSTEM  THAT  SENSES,  PROC-
 ESSES  AND ACTS, TO AT LEAST SOME DEGREE, AND IS OPERATED EITHER AUTONO-
 MOUSLY BY COMPUTERS OR BY AN INDIVIDUAL REMOTELY;
   (B) "WEAPON" MEANS A  DEVICE  DESIGNED  TO  INFLICT  PHYSICAL  INJURY,
 INCLUDING NONLETHAL INJURY;
   (C) "SURVEILLANCE" MEANS ANY OBSERVATION OR MONITORING OF CIVILIANS.
   2.  NO POLICE AGENCY SHALL AUTHORIZE THE USE, ATTEMPTED USE OR THREAT-
 ENED USE OF A ROBOT ARMED WITH ANY WEAPON.
   3. NO POLICE AGENCY SHALL AUTHORIZE THE USE, ATTEMPTED USE OR  THREAT-
 ENED  USE  OF  A  ROBOT IN ANY MANNER THAT CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE INJURY,
 REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THE ROBOT IS ARMED WITH A WEAPON.
   4. NO POLICE AGENCY SHALL AUTHORIZE THE USE, ATTEMPTED USE OR  THREAT-
 ENED USE OF A ROBOT FOR SURVEILLANCE PURPOSES.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05843-01-3

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