Requires the notification of a crime victim or witness of the death of the accused if such person dies during pending judicial proceedings or during any period of incarceration, parole or post-release supervision, or when an order of protection exists.
Summary
This bill expands victim-notification requirements in New York’s Executive Law and related statutes. It requires victims, witnesses, and certain relatives to be notified not only of key criminal proceedings involving an accused person, but also of the accused person’s death when that death occurs during pending judicial proceedings, incarceration, parole, post-release supervision, or when an order of protection is in place. The bill also changes existing notification language to make notification a right and to allow notice by phone or mail when possible, unless the person opts out.
The bill further updates the state’s victim services framework to provide automatic notification of a defendant’s release from a state correctional facility and parole board interviews/results, rather than requiring a victim or surviving family member to register for those notices. It also directs the superintendent to create procedures for notifying parties named in certain orders of protection if the subject of the order dies. In addition, it requires the Department of Health and the New York City Department of Health to share monthly death-certificate records with the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision’s Office of Victim Assistance and the Division of Criminal Justice Services to support these notifications.
Impact
The bill amends sections of the Executive Law and Public Health Law, broadening the duties of victim-notification agencies and creating a new data-sharing requirement for death records. It would affect the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, the Office of Victim Assistance, the Division of Criminal Justice Services, and state and city health agencies, while expanding the information victims, witnesses, and protected parties are entitled to receive in criminal and family court-related matters.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong support for the bill, with unanimous approval in the Senate Crime Victims, Crime and Correction Committee and unanimous final passage on the Senate floor. The lack of recorded opposition suggests the measure was viewed favorably as a victim-services and public-safety update.
Contention
No committee transcript is available, and the recorded votes show no opposition, so there is little evidence of direct contention in the available materials. The main policy issue apparent from the text is the balance between expanding victim notification and the administrative/privacy burdens of sharing death-certificate information and automatically tracking affected parties. Another possible point of concern is the shift from opt-in registration to automatic notification, which increases agency obligations but is framed as a victim right rather than a discretionary service.
Same As
Requires the notification of a crime victim or witness of the death of the accused if such person dies during pending judicial proceedings or during any period of incarceration, parole or post-release supervision, or when an order of protection exists.