NY State Senate Bill 2025-S6442

Senate Bill S6442

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Directs the commissioner of the division of criminal justice services to study gender disparity in sentencing outcomes

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - On Floor Calendar

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

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Apr 10, 2025	advanced to third reading
Apr 09, 2025	2nd report cal.
Apr 08, 2025	1st report cal.648
Mar 14, 2025	referred to crime victims, crime and correction

Votes

- Apr 8, 2025 - Crime Victims, Crime And Correction Committee Vote
  S6442
  
  5
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  2
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Crime Victims, Crime And Correction Committee Vote: Apr 8, 2025
      
      aye (5)
      
      Bailey
      
      Harckham
      
      Rivera
      
      Salazar
      
      Sepúlveda
      
      aye wr (2)
      
      Murray
      
      Rolison

2025-S6442 (ACTIVE) - Details

Law Section:: Executive
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S7938

2025-S6442 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Directs the commissioner of the division of criminal justice services to study gender disparity in sentencing outcomes and make a report to the governor and the legislature of their findings, conclusions and recommendations.

2025-S6442 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6442

SPONSOR: HARCKHAM
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act directing the commissioner of the division of criminal justice
services to study gender disparity in sentencing outcomes

 
PURPOSE:

Directs the commissioner of the division of criminal justice services to
study gender disparity in sentencing outcomes.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 directs the commissioner of the Department of Corrections and
Community Supervision to study gender disparity in sentencing.

Section 2 states that the commissioner must report their findings to the
Governor and the Legislature no later than one year after the effective
date of this act.

Section 3 states the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Although on average, women tend to receive shorter sentences than men,1
this issue is more complex than it seems.2 With the number of women
receiving extreme sentences in the United States going up,3 it is imper-
ative to identify and solve issues within the sentencing process to
ensure women are not being unfairly penalized.

Requiring this study to be performed will better allow lawmakers to
correct gender disparities in New York State sentencing procedures, in
turn ensuring both male and female defendants receive a sentence that is
fair and proportional to the crime they committed.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023-2024: S7938 - Passed Senate

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.


 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
1 https://www.ussc.govisites/defaultifiles/pdfiresearch-and-
publicationstr esearch-publications/2017/201711_14_Demograohics.pdf
2 https://www.aclu.org/documentstwords-prison-did-you-
know?redirect=words- prison-did-you-know#_edn
4 https://www.sentencingprojectordiapp
/uploads/2022/08/1n-the-Extreme-Women-Serving-Life-without-Par ole-and-
Death-Sentences- in-the-United-States.pdf

2025-S6442 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6442
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 14, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. HARCKHAM -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Crime Victims,  Crime  and
   Correction
 
 AN  ACT  directing  the commissioner of the division of criminal justice
   services to study gender disparity in sentencing outcomes

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  commissioner  of  the  division  of criminal justice
 services is  authorized  and  directed  to  study  gender  disparity  in
 sentencing outcomes. Such study shall include, but not be limited to:
   (a)  what  sentencing  outcomes  occur  for  individuals  of different
 genders convicted of similar crimes;
   (b) the reasons for any disparities found in the  sentencing  outcomes
 of convicted individuals of each gender;
   (c) recommendations on actions that may be taken to resolve any gender
 disparities found in sentencing outcomes; and
   (d)  any  other  related  information  that  the commissioner may deem
 necessary or relevant in carrying out this study.
   § 2. The commissioner of the division  of  criminal  justice  services
 shall  make  a report to the governor and the legislature of their find-
 ings, conclusions and recommendations no later than one year  after  the
 effective date of this act and shall submit with this report such legis-
 lative  proposals  as they deem necessary to implement their recommenda-
 tions.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10923-01-5

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