S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3634
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 29, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. KELLES, KIM, WEPRIN, SEAWRIGHT, SIMON, STECK,
   DINOWITZ, REYES, CRUZ, SHIMSKY, ZINERMAN, LEVENBERG,  EPSTEIN,  GIBBS,
   SEPTIMO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Judiciary
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the court of claims act, the public housing law, the
   correction law, and the civil service law, in relation to  the  avail-
   ability  of  certain  benefits  to  exonerees;  and  to repeal certain
   provisions of the court of claims act relating thereto
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 8-b of the court of claims act is amended by adding
 a new subdivision 1-a to read as follows:
   1-A.  WHEN  USED  IN  THIS  SECTION,  UNLESS OTHERWISE REQUIRED BY THE
 CONTEXT, OR UNLESS A  CONTRARY  INTENT  IS  EXPRESSLY  DECLARED  IN  THE
 PROVISION TO BE CONSTRUED, THE TERM "EXONEREE" SHALL MEAN ANY PERSON WHO
 HAS  BEEN GRANTED A JUDGMENT IN A CLAIM FOR UNJUST CONVICTION AND IMPRI-
 SONMENT UNDER THIS SECTION.
   § 2. Subparagraphs (i) and (ii) of paragraph (b) of subdivision  5  of
 section  8-b of the court of claims act, as added by chapter 1009 of the
 laws of 1984, are amended to read as follows:
   (i) [he has] THEY HAVE been pardoned upon the ground of  innocence  of
 the crime or crimes for which [he was] THEY WERE sentenced and which are
 the  grounds  for  the  complaint;  or  (ii)  [his]  THEIR  judgment  of
 conviction was  reversed  or  vacated,  and  the  accusatory  instrument
 dismissed  or,  if  a  new  trial was ordered, either [he was] THEY WERE
 found not guilty at the new trial or [he was] THEY WERE not retried  and
 the  accusatory  instrument  dismissed;  provided  that the judgement of
 conviction was reversed or vacated, and the  accusatory  instrument  was
 dismissed,  on  any  of  the following grounds: (A) [paragraph (a), (b),
 (c), (e) or (g) of] subdivision one of section 440.10  of  the  criminal
 procedure  law;  or  (B)  subdivision [one (where based upon grounds set
 forth in item (A) hereof),] two, three (where the  count  dismissed  was
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01726-01-5
              

 A. 3634                             2
 
 the  sole  basis  for the imprisonment complained of) or five of section
 470.20 of the criminal procedure law; or (C)  comparable  provisions  of
 the  former  code  of  criminal  procedure or subsequent law; or (D) the
 statute,  or application thereof, on which the accusatory instrument was
 based violated the constitution of the United States or the state of New
 York; and
   § 3. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 5 of section 8-b  of  the  court  of
 claims  act, as added by chapter 1009 of the laws of 1984, is amended to
 read as follows:
   (c) [he] THEY did not commit any of the acts [charged in the accusato-
 ry instrument] FOR WHICH THEY WERE CONVICTED  or  [his]  THEIR  acts  or
 omissions  charged  in  the  accusatory  instrument did not constitute a
 felony or misdemeanor against the state; and
   § 4. Paragraph (d) of subdivision 5 of section 8-b  of  the  court  of
 claims  act, as added by chapter 1009 of the laws of 1984, is amended to
 read as follows:
   (d) [he] THEY did not by [his] THEIR own [conduct] MISCONDUCT cause or
 bring about [his] THEIR conviction.  FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, A
 CONFESSION, ADMISSION OR PLEA OF GUILTY MADE OR ENTERED BY THE  CLAIMANT
 MAY  NOT  BE  CONSIDERED  EVIDENCE OF MISCONDUCT UNLESS SUCH CONFESSION,
 ADMISSION OR PLEA OF GUILTY WAS MADE OR ENTERED KNOWINGLY,  VOLUNTARILY,
 WITHOUT DURESS AND WITH THE INTENT TO PREVENT THE INVESTIGATION OR PROS-
 ECUTION:  (I)  OF  THE  CLAIMANT  FOR  A CRIME UNRELATED TO THE CRIME OR
 CRIMES THAT WERE THE SUBJECT OF SUCH CONFESSION, ADMISSION  OR  PLEA  OF
 GUILTY;  OR (II) OF ANOTHER PERSON WHO THE CLAIMANT, AT THE TIME OF SUCH
 CONFESSION, ADMISSION OR PLEA, BELIEVED TO BE  THE  PERPETRATOR  OF  THE
 CRIME  OR  CRIMES THAT WERE THE SUBJECT OF SUCH CONFESSION, ADMISSION OR
 PLEA.
   § 5. Subdivision 7 of section 8-b  of  the  court  of  claims  act  is
 REPEALED.
   § 6. Subdivision 6 of section 8-b of the court of claims act, as added
 by chapter 1009 of the laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows:
   6.  If the court finds that the claimant is entitled to a judgment, it
 shall award damages in such sum of money as the  court  determines  will
 fairly  and reasonably compensate [him] THEM, AS WELL AS ANY BENEFITS TO
 WHICH THE CLAIMANT IS ENTITLED UNDER THIS SECTION.
   § 7. Section 8-b of the court of claims act is amended by  adding  ten
 new  subdivisions  8,  9,  10,  11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 to read as
 follows:
   8. ANY EXONEREE SHALL  BE  ENTITLED  TO  HAVE  ALL  RECORDS  OF  THEIR
 CONVICTION  SEALED  PURSUANT TO SECTION 160.50 OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
 LAW.
   9. NO BENEFITS PAID PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE CONSIDERED GROSS
 INCOME AS DEFINED IN SECTION SIX HUNDRED TWELVE  OF  THE  TAX  LAW,  NOR
 SHALL THEY BE TAXABLE BY ANY ENTITY.
   10.  NO BENEFITS PAID PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE REDUCED BY ANY
 AMOUNT TO COMPENSATE THE STATE FOR THE COSTS OF INCARCERATING THE  EXON-
 EREE.
   11.  A  PERSON  WHO PROPERLY PRESENTS A CLAIM PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISIONS
 THREE AND FOUR OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE A PAYMENT OF
 TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS PER MONTH FROM THE STATE FOR EACH MONTH BETWEEN THE
 TIME A CLAIM IS FILED AND  THE  FINAL  JUDGMENT  IS  RECORDED,  PROVIDED
 HOWEVER  THAT  ON MOTION OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THE COURT MAY STAY SUCH
 PAYMENT ON THE GROUNDS THAT SUCH CLAIM IS FRIVOLOUS, THAT  THE  CLAIMANT
 IS  UNLIKELY  TO  PREVAIL  ON THE MERITS, OR THAT THE PERIOD OF WRONGFUL
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 INCARCERATION WAS SO SHORT THAT SIGNIFICANT DAMAGES AND BENEFITS  SHOULD
 NOT BE AWARDED.
   12. AN EXONEREE FOUND BY THE COURT TO HAVE SERVED A PERIOD OF WRONGFUL
 INCARCERATION  OF  MORE THAN ONE YEAR OR TO HAVE EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT
 HARDSHIP RESULTING FROM SUCH INCARCERATION SHALL BE ORDERED BY THE COURT
 TO BE ENROLLED IN  THE  HEALTH  BENEFIT  PLAN  ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT  TO
 SECTION ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-ONE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW, THE SUPPLEMENTA-
 RY  HEALTH  BENEFIT  PLAN  ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT  TO SECTION ONE HUNDRED
 SIXTY-THREE-A OF THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW, AND THE  DENTAL  INSURANCE  PLAN
 ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT  TO SECTION ONE HUNDRED SIXTY OF THE CIVIL SERVICE
 LAW. THE FULL COST OF PREMIUM OR SUBSCRIPTION CHARGES FOR SUCH  COVERAGE
 SHALL BE PAID BY THE STATE.
   13.  THE  EXONEREE  SHALL  BE  ENTITLED  TO REASONABLE ATTORNEY'S FEES
 INCURRED IN THE PROCESS OF VACATING OR REVERSING  THE  JUDGMENT  AGAINST
 THEM. THE EXONEREE SHALL PETITION THE COURT OF CLAIMS IN SEEKING REASON-
 ABLE  ATTORNEY'S FEES AS AGAINST THE STATE. ANY AWARD OF ATTORNEY'S FEES
 SHALL BE REIMBURSABLE BY THE STATE.
   14. AN EXONEREE WHO ENROLLS AT ANY INSTITUTION OF THE CITY  UNIVERSITY
 OF NEW YORK OR ANY INSTITUTION OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK SHALL
 BE  ELIGIBLE  FOR  A  TUITION  AWARD  IN  AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO THE TUITION
 CHARGED AT SUCH INSTITUTION, THE MANDATORY FEES CHARGED AT SUCH INSTITU-
 TION AND THE NON-TUITION COST  OF  ATTENDANCE  AT  SUCH  INSTITUTION  OR
 COLLEGE,  PROVIDED  THAT THE SCHOLARSHIP SHALL NOT EXCEED AN AMOUNT THAT
 IS EQUAL TO THE TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE DETERMINED FOR FEDERAL TITLE IV
 STUDENT FINANCIAL AID PURPOSES.
   15. ANY AND ALL BENEFITS MADE AVAILABLE TO PAROLEES THROUGH THE  DIVI-
 SION  OF  PAROLE  SHALL  ALSO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO EXONEREES.  ANY STATE
 CONTRACT WITH A SERVICE PROVIDER FOR  PAROLEES  MUST  ALSO  REQUIRE  THE
 SERVICE PROVIDER TO ALSO SERVE EXONEREES.
   16. NOTHING IN THIS ACT SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO PREVENT AN EXONEREE FROM
 PURSUING  FURTHER CIVIL LAWSUITS AGAINST ANY STATE AGENCIES OR EMPLOYEES
 FOR ANY REASON, INCLUDING IN CONNECTION WITH THE WRONGFUL CONVICTION.
   17. (A) ANY PERSON CLAIMING COMPENSATION AND ADDITIONAL BENEFITS UNDER
 THIS SECTION BASED ON A PARDON THAT WAS GRANTED ON OR AFTER  THE  EFFEC-
 TIVE  DATE OF THIS SUBDIVISION OR THE DISMISSAL OF AN ACCUSATORY INSTRU-
 MENT THAT OCCURRED ON OR AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE  OF  THIS  SUBDIVISION
 SHALL FILE THEIR CLAIM WITHIN THREE YEARS AFTER THE PARDON OR DISMISSAL.
   (B) ANY PERSON WHO OBTAINED A JUDGMENT UNDER THIS SECTION PRIOR TO THE
 EFFECTIVE DATE MAY FILE FOR ADDITIONAL BENEFITS UNDER THIS SECTION WITH-
 IN TWO YEARS AFTER SUCH EFFECTIVE DATE.
   (C)  ANY  PERSON WHOSE CLAIM WAS DISMISSED PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE
 OF THIS SECTION ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE CLAIM DID NOT SATISFY CLAUSE (A)
 OR (B) OF SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF PARAGRAPH (B) OF SUBDIVISION FIVE OF THIS
 SECTION MAY REFILE THEIR CLAIM UNDER THIS SECTION WITHIN TWO YEARS AFTER
 THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   (D) ANY PERSON WHO DID NOT PREVIOUSLY FILE A CLAIM BECAUSE THEIR CLAIM
 DID NOT SATISFY CLAUSE (A) OR (B) OF SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF PARAGRAPH  (B)
 OF  SUBDIVISION FIVE OF THIS SECTION AND IS BARRED BY THE EXISTING STAT-
 UTE OF LIMITATIONS, MAY FILE THEIR CLAIM UNDER THIS SECTION  WITHIN  TWO
 YEARS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   § 8. Subdivision 1 of section 156 of the public housing law is amended
 by adding a new paragraph c to read as follows:
   C.  ALSO  FOR  ANY EXONEREE AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION ONE-A OF SECTION
 EIGHT-B OF THE COURT OF CLAIMS ACT. ANY BENEFITS DUE  TO  SUCH  EXONEREE
 SHALL  NOT  BE  INCLUDED IN THE CALCULATION OF PROBABLE AGGREGATE INCOME
 USED TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY FOR THESE DWELLINGS.  EXONEREES  SHALL  BE
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 ASSIGNED  THE  HIGHEST  NEED-BASED  PRIORITY FOR PLACEMENT IN A DWELLING
 UNIT.
   § 9. Subdivision 4 of section 404 of the correction law, as amended by
 chapter 322 of the laws of 2021, is amended to read as follows:
   4. Every incarcerated individual who has received mental health treat-
 ment  pursuant  to this article within three years of [his or her] THEIR
 anticipated release date from a state correctional  facility  AND  EVERY
 EXONEREE,  AS  DEFINED  IN  SUBDIVISION  ONE-A OF SECTION EIGHT-B OF THE
 COURT OF CLAIMS ACT, shall be  provided  with  mental  health  discharge
 planning  and,  when  necessary,  an  appointment  with  a mental health
 professional in the community who can  prescribe  medications  following
 discharge  and sufficient mental health medications and prescriptions to
 bridge the period between discharge and such time as such mental  health
 professional  may  assume  care of the patient. Incarcerated individuals
 who have refused mental health treatment may  also  be  provided  mental
 health  discharge  planning  and any necessary appointment with a mental
 health professional.
   § 10. Subdivision 2 of section  163  of  the  civil  service  law,  as
 amended  by  section  6  of part S of chapter 57 of the laws of 2023, is
 amended to read as follows:
   2. The contract or contracts shall provide  for  health  benefits  for
 retired employees of the state and of the state colleges of agriculture,
 home  economics, industrial labor relations and veterinary medicine, the
 state agricultural experiment station at Geneva, and any other  institu-
 tion or agency under the management and control of Cornell university as
 the  representative  of the board of trustees of the state university of
 New York, and the state college of ceramics  under  the  management  and
 control of Alfred university as the representative of the board of trus-
 tees  of the state university of New York, and their spouses and depend-
 ent children as defined by the regulations of the president, AND EXONER-
 EES AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION ONE-A OF SECTION EIGHT-B OF THE  COURT  OF
 CLAIMS ACT, on such terms as the president may deem appropriate, and the
 president  may  authorize the inclusion in the plan of the employees and
 retired employees of public authorities,  public  benefit  corporations,
 school  districts,  special  districts, district corporations, municipal
 corporations excluding active employees and retired employees of  cities
 having  a  population  of  one million or more inhabitants whose compen-
 sation is or was before retirement paid out of  the  city  treasury,  or
 other  appropriate  agencies, subdivisions or quasi-public organizations
 of the state, including active members of volunteer fire  and  volunteer
 ambulance  companies serving one or more municipal corporations pursuant
 to subdivision seven of section ninety-two-a of  the  general  municipal
 law,  and  their  spouses and dependent children as defined by the regu-
 lations of the president. Notwithstanding any law or regulation  to  the
 contrary, active members of volunteer ambulance companies serving one or
 more  municipal  corporations  pursuant  to subdivision seven of section
 ninety-two-a of the general municipal law shall be eligible  for  health
 benefits  regardless of the amount of funds derived from public sources.
 Any such corporation,  district,  agency  or  organization  electing  to
 participate in the plan shall be required to pay its proportionate share
 of  the  expenses  of  administration of the plan in such amounts and at
 such times as determined and fixed by the president. All amounts payable
 for such expenses of administration shall be paid to the commissioner of
 taxation and finance and shall be applied to the reimbursement of  funds
 previously  advanced for such purposes.  Neither the state nor any other
 participant in the plan shall be charged with the particular  experience
 A. 3634                             5
 
 attributable  to  the employees of the participant, and all dividends or
 retroactive rate credits shall be distributed pro-rata  based  upon  the
 number of employees of such participant covered by the plan.
   §  11. This act shall take effect immediately and, except as otherwise
 expressly provided in this  act,  shall  apply  to  convictions  entered
 before, on or after such effective date.