New York Assembly Bill A00363

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/8/25
• Refer: 1/8/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Relates to the eligibility for awards for victims of a crime; includes the commission of suicide within two years after being a victim of a crime as a death that is the direct result of a crime.

Summary

A00363 would amend New York’s crime victims compensation law to expand who may qualify for awards from the Office of Victim Services. The bill clarifies that a surviving spouse may receive limited out-of-pocket compensation when a crime victim dies from causes not directly related to the crime before filing a claim or before a decision is issued, and it retains existing eligibility for a spouse, child, or stepchild of a victim who suffered personal physical injury as a direct result of a crime. The central change is a new rule that treats a crime victim’s suicide within two years after the crime as a death directly resulting from the crime, unless the Office determines the suicide was not in any way caused by the victimization. The bill also directs the Office to disregard the victim’s responsibility for their own injury in those cases, which would make such claims eligible for awards under the compensation program. The act would take effect immediately.

Impact

The bill would amend sections 624 and 631 of the Executive Law, which govern eligibility for awards under New York’s crime victims compensation system. In practical terms, it would broaden the class of deaths and injuries that can be treated as crime-related for purposes of compensation, potentially increasing claims and awards paid by the Office of Victim Services. It would also create a new evidentiary presumption in favor of eligibility when a victim dies by suicide within two years of the crime, unless the office finds the suicide was unrelated to the victimization.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be framed as a victim-centered expansion of benefits rather than a controversial policy shift. Its purpose is to recognize the possible long-term effects of crime, including trauma that may contribute to suicide, and to make compensation more accessible to surviving family members. No opposing arguments are documented in the supplied context.

Contention

The main point of potential contention is the new presumption linking suicide to a prior crime. Supporters would likely view this as a compassionate correction that accounts for trauma and delayed consequences of victimization, while critics may worry about causation, proof standards, and the fiscal impact on the compensation fund. Another possible issue is the discretion left to the Office of Victim Services to determine when a suicide was not related to the crime, which could lead to disputes over medical and factual evidence.