Bill Text: NY A08259 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Extends the maximum number of months for the reconsideration of denied applications by the parole board for parole for certain violent felony offenses from 24 months to 60 months.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Republican 18-1)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-05-14 - held for consideration in correction [A08259 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A08259-Introduced.html



                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          8259

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    November 15, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M. of A. PALMESANO, BARCLAY, ANGELINO, BRABENEC, BYRNES,
          DiPIETRO,  FLOOD,  FRIEND,  GALLAHAN,  GANDOLFO,  J. M. GIGLIO,  GRAY,
          HAWLEY,  JENSEN,  MANKTELOW, McDONOUGH, SLATER, TAGUE -- read once and
          referred to the Committee on Correction

        AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to extending the  maximum
          number  of  months  for the reconsideration of denied applications for
          parole for certain violent felony offenses

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.    Subparagraph  (i)  of paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 of
     2  section 259-i of the executive law, as amended by  chapter  486  of  the
     3  laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
     4    (i)  Except  as  provided  in  subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, at
     5  least one month prior to the date on which  an  incarcerated  individual
     6  may be paroled pursuant to subdivision one of section 70.40 of the penal
     7  law,  a  member or members as determined by the rules of the board shall
     8  personally interview such incarcerated individual and determine  whether
     9  he  or  she  should be paroled in accordance with the guidelines adopted
    10  pursuant to subdivision four of section two hundred fifty-nine-c of this
    11  article. If parole is not granted upon  such  review,  the  incarcerated
    12  individual shall be informed in writing within two weeks of such appear-
    13  ance  of the factors and reasons for such denial of parole. Such reasons
    14  shall be given in detail and not in conclusory terms.  The  board  shall
    15  specify  a date not more than twenty-four months from such determination
    16  for reconsideration, and the procedures to be followed upon  reconsider-
    17  ation  shall  be  the same, provided, however in the case of a defendant
    18  sentenced for an eligible violent felony offense, the board shall speci-
    19  fy a date not more than sixty months from such determination for  recon-
    20  sideration  and  the procedures to be followed for reconsideration shall
    21  be the same. For the purposes of this section an "eligible violent felo-
    22  ny offense" shall mean a conviction  for  the  class  A-I  felonies  of:

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD10887-01-3

        A. 8259                             2

     1  murder in the first degree as defined in section 125.27 of the penal law
     2  where a sentence other than death or life imprisonment without parole is
     3  imposed; aggravated murder as defined in section 125.26 of the penal law
     4  where a sentence other than death or life imprisonment without parole is
     5  imposed; murder in the second degree as defined in section 125.25 of the
     6  penal  law  where a sentence other than life imprisonment without parole
     7  is imposed; the class A-II  felonies  of  predatory  sexual  assault  as
     8  defined  in section 130.95 of the penal law and predatory sexual assault
     9  against a child as defined in section 130.96 of the  penal  law;  and  a
    10  conviction  for  a  class B violent felony offense as defined in section
    11  70.02 of the penal law for those offenders sentenced to an indeterminate
    12  sentence.  If the incarcerated individual is released, he or  she  shall
    13  be given a copy of the conditions of parole. Such conditions shall where
    14  appropriate,  include  a  requirement  that  the parolee comply with any
    15  restitution order, mandatory surcharge, sex  offender  registration  fee
    16  and  DNA  databank fee previously imposed by a court of competent juris-
    17  diction that applies to the parolee. The conditions shall indicate which
    18  restitution collection agency established  under  subdivision  eight  of
    19  section  420.10  of the criminal procedure law, shall be responsible for
    20  collection of restitution, mandatory surcharge, sex  offender  registra-
    21  tion  fees and DNA databank fees as provided for in section 60.35 of the
    22  penal law and section eighteen hundred nine of the vehicle  and  traffic
    23  law. If the incarcerated individual is released, he or she shall also be
    24  notified  in writing that his or her voting rights will be restored upon
    25  release.
    26    § 2. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 of section 259-i of the  executive
    27  law,  as  amended by chapter 486 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read
    28  as follows:
    29    (a) At least one month prior to the expiration of the  minimum  period
    30  or  periods  of  imprisonment  fixed  by the court or board, a member or
    31  members as determined by the rules of the board shall personally  inter-
    32  view  an  incarcerated  individual serving an indeterminate sentence and
    33  determine whether he or she should be paroled at the expiration  of  the
    34  minimum  period  or  periods  in  accordance with the procedures adopted
    35  pursuant to subdivision four of section two hundred fifty-nine-c of this
    36  article. If parole is not granted upon  such  review,  the  incarcerated
    37  individual shall be informed in writing within two weeks of such appear-
    38  ance  of the factors and reasons for such denial of parole. Such reasons
    39  shall be given in detail and not in conclusory terms.  The  board  shall
    40  specify  a date not more than twenty-four months from such determination
    41  for reconsideration, and the procedures to be followed upon  reconsider-
    42  ation  shall  be  the same, provided, however in the case of a defendant
    43  sentenced for an eligible violent felony offense, the board shall speci-
    44  fy a date not more than sixty months from such determination for  recon-
    45  sideration  and  the procedures to be followed for reconsideration shall
    46  be the same. For the purposes of this section an "eligible violent felo-
    47  ny offense" shall mean a conviction  for  the  class  A-I  felonies  of:
    48  murder in the first degree as defined in section 125.27 of the penal law
    49  where a sentence other than death or life imprisonment without parole is
    50  imposed; aggravated murder as defined in section 125.26 of the penal law
    51  where a sentence other than death or life imprisonment without parole is
    52  imposed; murder in the second degree as defined in section 125.25 of the
    53  penal  law  where a sentence other than life imprisonment without parole
    54  is imposed; the class A-II  felonies  of  predatory  sexual  assault  as
    55  defined  in section 130.95 of the penal law and predatory sexual assault
    56  against a child as defined in section 130.96 of the  penal  law;  and  a

        A. 8259                             3

     1  conviction  for  a  class B violent felony offense as defined in section
     2  70.02 of the penal law for those offenders sentenced to an indeterminate
     3  sentence.  If the incarcerated individual is released, he or  she  shall
     4  be given a copy of the conditions of parole. Such conditions shall where
     5  appropriate,  include  a  requirement  that  the parolee comply with any
     6  restitution order and mandatory surcharge previously imposed by a  court
     7  of  competent  jurisdiction  that applies to the parolee. The conditions
     8  shall indicate which restitution  collection  agency  established  under
     9  subdivision eight of section 420.10 of the criminal procedure law, shall
    10  be  responsible for collection of restitution and mandatory surcharge as
    11  provided for in section 60.35 of the  penal  law  and  section  eighteen
    12  hundred  nine  of the vehicle and traffic law. If the incarcerated indi-
    13  vidual is released, he or she shall also be notified in writing that his
    14  or her voting rights will be restored upon release.
    15    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately and  shall  apply  to  all
    16  future  and currently incarcerated individuals sentenced for an eligible
    17  class A felony and to all currently incarcerated  individuals  sentenced
    18  for  an eligible class B violent felony offense who are serving indeter-
    19  minate sentences; provided that  the  amendments  to  paragraph  (a)  of
    20  subdivision  two  of  section 259-i of the executive law made by section
    21  one of this act shall be subject to the expiration and reversion of such
    22  paragraph pursuant to subdivision d of section 74 of chapter  3  of  the
    23  laws  of 1995, as amended, when upon such date the provisions of section
    24  two of this act shall take effect.
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