S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    108
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. GALLIVAN, BORRELLO, GRIFFO, HELMING, LANZA, MATTERA,
   OBERACKER,  O'MARA, ORTT, PALUMBO, RHOADS, STEC, TEDISCO, WEIK -- read
   twice and ordered printed, and when printed to  be  committed  to  the
   Committee on Codes

 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  penal  law  and  the criminal procedure law, in
   relation to establishing the crime of failure to retreat
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 205.40 to
 read as follows:
 § 205.40 FAILURE TO RETREAT.
   A PERSON IS GUILTY OF FAILURE TO RETREAT WHEN SUCH  PERSON  IS  WITHIN
 TWENTY-FIVE  FEET  OF  A  POLICE OFFICER OR PEACE OFFICER ENGAGED IN THE
 PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES AND SUCH POLICE  OFFICER  OR  PEACE  OFFICER
 ORDERS  SUCH  PERSON  TO  HALT  OR RETREAT AND THE PERSON FAILS TO DO SO
 IMMEDIATELY.
   AN INDIVIDUAL SHALL NOT BE GUILTY OF THIS OFFENSE IF  SUCH  INDIVIDUAL
 (A) SUFFERS FROM A PHYSICAL DISABILITY OR PHYSICAL INJURY AND HALTING OR
 RETREATING WOULD EXACERBATE SUCH DISABILITY OR INJURY, OR (B) A PHYSICAL
 BARRIER  MAKES  IT  PHYSICALLY  IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL TO HALT OR
 RETREAT.
   UNDER THIS SECTION, POLICE OFFICER AND PEACE OFFICER  ARE  AS  DEFINED
 UNDER SECTION 1.20 OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE LAW.
   FAILURE TO RETREAT IS A CLASS D FELONY.
   §  2. Paragraphs (t) and (u) of subdivision 4 of section 510.10 of the
 criminal procedure law, paragraph (t) as amended and  paragraph  (u)  as
 added  by section 2 of subpart B of part UU of chapter 56 of the laws of
 2022, are amended and a new paragraph (v) is added to read as follows:
   (t) any felony or class A misdemeanor involving harm to  an  identifi-
 able  person  or  property,  or  any  charge of criminal possession of a
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD00748-01-5
 S. 108                              2
 
 firearm as defined in section 265.01-b of  the  penal  law,  where  such
 charge  arose from conduct occurring while the defendant was released on
 [his or her] THEIR own recognizance, released under conditions,  or  had
 yet to be arraigned after the issuance of a desk appearance ticket for a
 separate felony or class A misdemeanor involving harm to an identifiable
 person or property, or any charge of criminal possession of a firearm as
 defined  in  section  265.01-b of the penal law, provided, however, that
 the prosecutor must show reasonable cause to believe that the  defendant
 committed  the  instant crime and any underlying crime. For the purposes
 of this subparagraph, any of the underlying crimes need not be a  quali-
 fying  offense  as defined in this subdivision. For the purposes of this
 paragraph, "harm to an identifiable person or  property"  shall  include
 but  not  be  limited  to theft of or damage to property. However, based
 upon a review of the facts alleged in the accusatory instrument, if  the
 court determines that such theft is negligible and does not appear to be
 in  furtherance  of  other  criminal  activity,  the  principal shall be
 released on [his or her] THEIR own  recognizance  or  under  appropriate
 non-monetary conditions; [or]
   (u)  criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree as defined in
 subdivision three of section 265.02 of the penal law or criminal sale of
 a firearm to a minor as defined in section 265.16 of the  penal  law[.];
 OR
   (V) FAILURE TO RETREAT AS DEFINED IN SECTION 205.40 OF THE PENAL LAW.
   § 3. Subparagraphs (xx) and (xxi) of paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of
 section  530.20  of  the  criminal  procedure  law, subparagraph (xx) as
 amended and subparagraph (xxi) as added by section 4  of  subpart  C  of
 part UU of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, are amended and a new subpar-
 agraph (xxii) is added to read as follows:
   (xx)  any felony or class A misdemeanor involving harm to an identifi-
 able person or property, or any  charge  of  criminal  possession  of  a
 firearm  as  defined  in  section  265.01-b  of the penal law where such
 charge arose from conduct occurring while the defendant was released  on
 [his  or  her] THEIR own recognizance, released under conditions, or had
 yet to be arraigned after the issuance of a desk appearance ticket for a
 separate felony or class A misdemeanor involving harm to an identifiable
 person or property, provided, however, that  the  prosecutor  must  show
 reasonable  cause  to  believe  that the defendant committed the instant
 crime and any underlying crime. For the purposes of  this  subparagraph,
 any of the underlying crimes need not be a qualifying offense as defined
 in  this  subdivision.  For  the purposes of this paragraph, "harm to an
 identifiable person or property" shall include but  not  be  limited  to
 theft  of  or  damage  to  property. However, based upon a review of the
 facts alleged in the accusatory instrument, if the court determines that
 such theft is negligible and does not appear to  be  in  furtherance  of
 other criminal activity, the principal shall be released on [his or her]
 THEIR  own  recognizance  or  under appropriate non-monetary conditions;
 [or]
   (xxi) criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree  as  defined
 in subdivision three of section 265.02 of the penal law or criminal sale
 of  a  firearm  to  a  minor  as  defined in section 265.16 of the penal
 law[.]; OR
   (XXII) FAILURE TO RETREAT AS DEFINED IN SECTION 205.40  OF  THE  PENAL
 LAW.
   §  4. Paragraphs (t) and (u) of subdivision 4 of section 530.40 of the
 criminal procedure law, paragraph (t) as amended and  paragraph  (u)  as
 S. 108                              3
 
 added  by section 4 of subpart B of part UU of chapter 56 of the laws of
 2022, are amended and a new paragraph (v) is added to read as follows:
   (t)  any  felony or class A misdemeanor involving harm to an identifi-
 able person or property, or any  charge  of  criminal  possession  of  a
 firearm  as  defined  in  section  265.01-b of the penal law, where such
 charge arose from conduct occurring while the defendant was released  on
 [his  or  her] THEIR own recognizance, released under conditions, or had
 yet to be arraigned after the issuance of a desk appearance ticket for a
 separate felony or class A misdemeanor involving harm to an identifiable
 person or property, or any charge of criminal possession of a firearm as
 defined in section 265.01-b of the penal law,  provided,  however,  that
 the  prosecutor must show reasonable cause to believe that the defendant
 committed the instant crime and any underlying crime. For  the  purposes
 of  this subparagraph, any of the underlying crimes need not be a quali-
 fying offense as defined in this subdivision. For the purposes  of  this
 paragraph,  "harm  to  an identifiable person or property" shall include
 but not be limited to theft of or damage  to  property.  However,  based
 upon  a review of the facts alleged in the accusatory instrument, if the
 court determines that such theft is negligible and does not appear to be
 in furtherance of  other  criminal  activity,  the  principal  shall  be
 released  on  [his  or  her] THEIR own recognizance or under appropriate
 non-monetary conditions; [or]
   (u) criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree as defined  in
 subdivision three of section 265.02 of the penal law or criminal sale of
 a  firearm  to a minor as defined in section 265.16 of the penal law[.];
 OR
   (V) FAILURE TO RETREAT AS DEFINED IN SECTION 205.40 OF THE PENAL LAW.
   § 5. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.