What's happening
This bill prohibits law enforcement and peace officers from asking victims or witnesses about their immigration status except when necessary to investigate a crime.
Why it matters
Encourages crime reporting and cooperation. By limiting questions about immigration status, the bill aims to make victims and witnesses—regardless of their legal status—feel safer cooperating with police, which could lead to better crime solving and community trust.
Reduces fear of deportation or retaliation. Immigrant communities often avoid contacting law enforcement due to fear of immigration consequences; this bill directly addresses that barrier, potentially leading to greater public safety.
Narrow exception for legitimate investigations. The bill allows officers to ask about immigration status only if it is truly necessary for investigating a crime, preventing blanket or discriminatory inquiries and ensuring the focus remains on solving the case.
Standardizes practices across agencies. By defining “law enforcement officer” and “peace officer,” the bill provides clear, statewide rules and expectations, reducing confusion and inconsistent practices among different agencies.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Stop Police Immigration Questions
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
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.
Protect Crime Victims' Privacy
In Senate Committee · Finance · Sponsor Kevin S. Parker
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3747
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 31, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ORTIZ, QUART -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to prohibiting law enforcement officers and peace officers from inquiring about the immigration status of a victim or witness to a criminal offense
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 837-t to read as follows:
§ 837-t. Prohibitions on law enforcement officers and peace officers. 1. A law enforcement officer or a peace officer may not inquire as to the immigration status of a victim of or witness to a criminal offense except as necessary to investigate the offense.
2. For the purposes of this section "law enforcement officer" means a state or local police officer and "peace officer" means any person designated as a peace officer pursuant to section 2.10 of the criminal procedure law.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08191-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.