What's happening
This bill grants Albany Medical Center security officers limited peace officer powers within specified properties, including detaining individuals until law enforcement arrives.
Why it matters
Expands authority for Albany Medical Center security. By granting limited peace officer powers, security staff can now intervene more decisively in incidents on and around hospital property, potentially improving response times to disruptive or dangerous situations.
Scope of powers is restricted and specific. The new authority is limited to certain legal powers (section 9.41 of the mental hygiene law, and specified powers under section 2.20), emphasizing mental health interventions and certain law enforcement functions, rather than giving full police powers.
Includes power to detain, but not to arrest or carry firearms by default. Security officers can detain individuals suspected of offenses until police arrive, but cannot arrest or use firearms unless they have a separate, specific license—helping to balance safety with limits on force.
Geographically limited to Albany Med properties. The law applies only on or directly adjacent to a specific list of Albany Medical Center campuses and buildings, meaning the enhanced authority is narrowly tailored to hospital-related spaces, not citywide.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Make Hospital Guards Peace Officers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Make Hospital Guards Peace Officers
In Assembly Committee · Codes · Sponsor Patricia Fahy
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
S. 3173 A. 2400
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
SENATE - ASSEMBLY
January 20, 2017
IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. BRESLIN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. FAHY, McDONALD -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the criminal procedure law, in relation to granting peace officer status to certain security services officers employed by Albany Medical Center
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 2.10 of the criminal procedure law is amended by adding a new subdivision 84 to read as follows:
84. Members of the security force employed by Albany Medical Center within and directly adjacent to the buildings on the medical center campus located at 43 New Scotland Ave, Albany, New York; Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Ave in Albany, New York; the adjacent and separate garages located at 40 New Scotland Ave, 60 New Scotland Ave, and 405 Myrtle Ave, Albany, New York; adjacent medical and administrative buildings located at 391 Myrtle Ave, 16 New Scotland Ave, 22 New Scotland Ave, 50 New Scotland Ave; 628 Madison Ave, in Albany, New York; the South Clinical Campus and adjacent buildings located at 23 Hackett Blvd, 25 Hackett Blvd, 35 Hackett Blvd, 58-60 Hackett Blvd, 1 Clara Barton Dr; 14 St. James Pl, Albany, New York; and the 1275 Broadway Building located in Menands, New York, all of which are owned or operated by Albany Medical Center. These officers shall only have the powers in section 9.41 of the mental hygiene law and the powers listed in paragraphs (c) and (h) of subdivision one of section 2.20 of this article, as well as the power to detain an individual for a reasonable period of time while awaiting the arrival of law enforcement, provided that the officer has actual knowledge, or probable cause to believe, that such individual has committed an offense; provided however, that nothing in
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02674-01-7
S. 3173 2 A. 2400
this subdivision shall be deemed to authorize such officer to carry, possess, repair or dispose of a firearm unless the appropriate license therefor has been issued pursuant to section 400.00 of the penal law.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the criminal procedure law, in relation to granting peace officer status to certain security services officers employed by Albany Medical Center
Purpose or general idea of bill
Designates security services officers of Albany Medical Center as peace officers
Summary of specific provisions
This bill would amend Section 2.10 of the Criminal Procedure Law by adding a new subdivision 85 designating as peace officers members of the security force employed by Albany Medical Center within certain buildings on the medical center campus located in Albany, New York. The powers granted to the officers shall be limited to the powers provided for in section 9.41 of the mental hygiene law and the powers listed in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), (h), (i) and (j) of subdivision one of section 2.20 of this article. In order to exercise such powers, an officer must have actual knowledge, or probable cause to believe, that an individual has committed an offense. Nothing in this subdivision shall be deemed to authorize such officer to carry, possess, repair or dispose of a firearm unless the appropriate license therefor has been issued pursuant to section 400.00 of the penal law.
Justification
Albany Medical Center is a unique hospital located in the State's capital with 734 patient beds and almost 8,500 employees. In addition to serving the general population, Albany Medical Center contracts with the New York State Department of Corrections to provide treatment to state correctional facility inmates in need of medical attention. They have a psychiatric unit that houses potentially violent and unstable individuals and also receives thousands of transfers from surrounding hospitals unable to treat certain patients. It is an "open campus" where hundreds of people freely enter and exit numerous points of access, all of which substantially increases the likelihood of an incident. Granting peace officer status to Albany Medical Center security staff would allow the hospital to immediately address behavioral emergencies, providing a significantly safer environment at the campus.
Prior legislative history
New Bill 2015/16: A.9887-A/S.7374-A
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.