NY State Senate Bill 2023-S4986

Senate Bill S4986

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Requires the state board of parole to include at least one member who is or was a member of law enforcement and at least one member who is a crime victim or crime victim's representative

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Crime Victims, Crime And Correction 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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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2024	referred to crime victims, crime and correction
Feb 21, 2023	referred to crime victims, crime and correction

co-Sponsors

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2023-S4986 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A2423
Current Committee:: Senate Crime Victims, Crime And Correction
Law Section:: Executive Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §259-b, Exec L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: S7564, A9113

2023-S4986 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires the state board of parole to include at least one member who is or was a member of law enforcement and at least one member who is a crime victim or crime victim's representative.

2023-S4986 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S4986

SPONSOR: OBERACKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the executive law, in relation to the membership of the
state board of parole

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends section 259-b of the Executive Law to require that one
member of the State Parole Board be a current or former member of law
enforcement and that one member be crime victim or crime victim's repre-
sentative.

Section 2 sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The State Parole Board is a powerful institution that has the ability to
grant convicted individuals a second chance; inversely, it also has the
power to determine that an individual is unreformed or that their crime

is so heinous that justice demands their continued incarceration. As a
matter of State policy, the authority of the Parole Board should not be
taken lightly, and it is in the interests of the State to ensure that a
diverse array of views are represented on the Board to ensure the best
possible outcome for both justice and public safety.

This legislation requires that two out of the possible nineteen members
of the Parole Board come from specific backgrounds; namely, that one
member serve currently or have served previously as a law enforcement
officer, and that one member was previously a victim of a crime or
represents an individual who was a victim of a crime. These two unique
perspectives - that of those enforcing the law and those who were
victims of the law's violators - will provide key insights about the
nature of crime and the effects it has on everyday New Yorkers. These
insights will help steer the discussion and decisions of the Parole
Board further towards justice for all, but will also make sure that
these two key groups have a voting voice on the Parole Board.

 
LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

2023-S4986 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4986
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 21, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sen. OBERACKER -- 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, in relation to the membership of  the
   state board of parole
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 259-b of  the  executive  law,  as
 amended by section 38-a of subpart A of part C of chapter 62 of the laws
 of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  There  shall  be  in  the department a state board of parole which
 shall possess the powers and duties  hereinafter  specified.  The  board
 shall  function  independently  of  the  department regarding all of its
 decision-making functions, as well as any other powers and duties speci-
 fied in this article, provided, however, that administrative matters  of
 general  applicability  within the department shall be applicable to the
 board. Such board shall  consist  of  not  more  than  nineteen  members
 appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. THE
 BOARD  SHALL  INCLUDE  AT  LEAST  ONE MEMBER WHO IS EMPLOYED OR HAS BEEN
 EMPLOYED AS A MEMBER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND AT LEAST ONE MEMBER WHO IS A
 CRIME VICTIM OR A CRIME VICTIM'S REPRESENTATIVE AS DEFINED  IN  SUBPARA-
 GRAPH  (A)  OF  PARAGRAPH  (C) OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED
 FIFTY-NINE-I OF THIS ARTICLE. The term of office of each member of  such
 board  shall be for six years; provided, however, that any member chosen
 to fill a vacancy occurring otherwise than by expiration of  term  shall
 be  appointed for the remainder of the unexpired term of the member whom
 he is to succeed. In the event of the inability to act  of  any  member,
 the  governor  may  appoint some competent informed person to act in his
 stead during the continuance of such disability.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05487-01-3

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