New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

New York Assembly Bill A06966

Introduced
3/18/25  
Refer
3/18/25  

Caption

Relates to the required disclosure upon the release of a juvenile or adolescent offender from the custody of the office of children and family services of certain records that are necessary to ascertain the nature of such offender's conviction and would be beneficial in identifying and mitigating any risk that such offender could pose if released.

Summary

This bill expands notification and information-sharing requirements when certain juvenile offenders and adolescent offenders are released or discharged from the custody of the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) or from a correctional facility. It requires OCFS to provide the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision with records needed to understand the offender’s conviction and assess any community risk. It also requires OCFS and DOCCS to notify the school district where the youth will reside at least 30 days before release, including the scheduled release date and eligibility to enroll, and to provide records, to the extent permitted by federal law, that would help the district identify and mitigate any risk. The bill also amends the correction law to extend existing release-notification procedures to juvenile offenders and adolescent offenders convicted of felonies. Under the proposal, at least 48 hours before release or discharge, DOCCS and OCFS must notify local police and the relevant district attorney of the offender’s planned residence, name and aliases, remaining sentence time, and the nature of the offense, and must provide fingerprints and a photograph. Local police or sheriffs receiving notice may request a criminal record summary from the Division of Criminal Justice Services. The measure takes effect immediately if enacted.

Impact

The bill would broaden New York’s post-release notification framework by adding juvenile offenders and adolescent offenders to the categories of individuals whose release information is shared with law enforcement, prosecutors, and, uniquely, school districts. It would amend both the executive law and correction law, increasing OCFS’s disclosure obligations and creating a new school-district notification requirement tied to residence and enrollment eligibility. The bill would affect OCFS, DOCCS, local police, sheriffs, district attorneys, and school districts, while also implicating federal privacy limits on student and juvenile records.

Sentiment

The available record shows no committee transcript or vote history, so there is no documented floor or committee debate to gauge sentiment directly. Based on the bill’s structure, the measure appears to reflect a public-safety-oriented approach focused on advance notice and risk mitigation. The caption and text suggest the sponsor’s intent is to ensure communities and schools have information before a youth offender returns to the community.

Contention

The main likely point of contention is the balance between public safety and confidentiality for juvenile justice-involved youth. Supporters would likely emphasize the need for law enforcement and school districts to receive advance notice and relevant records to protect communities and students. Opponents may argue that the bill increases stigma, expands disclosure of sensitive juvenile records, and could undermine rehabilitation and reintegration, especially because it requires sharing information with school districts and local authorities. The bill also expressly limits school-district record sharing to what federal law allows, indicating privacy concerns are a central issue.

Companion Bills

NY S03624

Same As Relates to the required disclosure upon the release of a juvenile or adolescent offender from the custody of the office of children and family services of certain records that are necessary to ascertain the nature of such offender's conviction and would be beneficial in identifying and mitigating any risk that such offender could pose if released.

Previously Filed As

NY S03624

Relates to the required disclosure upon the release of a juvenile or adolescent offender from the custody of the office of children and family services of certain records that are necessary to ascertain the nature of such offender's conviction and would be beneficial in identifying and mitigating any risk that such offender could pose if released.

NY A09333

Authorizes the use of body imaging scanning equipment in certain facilities for youth and adolescent offenders placed with or committed to the office of children and family services.

NY S08963

Authorizes the use of body imaging scanning equipment in certain facilities for youth and adolescent offenders placed with or committed to the office of children and family services.

NY A09316

Limits the circumstances under which the case of an adolescent offender may be removed to family court; limits the jurisdiction of family court with respect to certain repeat adolescent offenders.

NY S08531

Limits the circumstances under which the case of an adolescent offender may be removed to family court; limits the jurisdiction of family court with respect to certain repeat adolescent offenders.

NY HB2325

Authorizing judges to commit juvenile offenders to detention for technical violations of probation, increasing the cumulative detention limit for juvenile offenders and increasing criminal penalties for juvenile offenders who use a firearm in the commission of an offense or who are repeat offenders.

NY A3177

Requires annual review of released sex offenders to determine if offenders were registered and tiered.

NY HB3889

Sex offenders; requiring disclosure of certain conviction information; effective date.

NY HB2329

Changing the name of juvenile crisis intervention centers to juvenile stabilization centers, modifying the intake criteria for such centers, prohibiting certain rules and regulations for such centers, modifying the treatment and services provided by such centers, increasing the cumulative detention limit for juvenile offenders and criminal penalties for juvenile offenders who use a firearm in the commission of an offense or who are repeat offenders, providing for increased placement of offenders in non-foster home beds in youth residential facilities, requiring the secretary of corrections to pay for the costs associated with such placements, authorizing the secretary to make expenditures from the evidence-based programs account of the state general fund moneys to contract for such beds and transferring moneys from such account of the state general fund to the department for children and families to provide juvenile stabilization services.

NY SB190

Offender Release from Custody

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