What's happening
This bill allows for the sealing of records for petty offenses regardless of the original charge, with certain exceptions.
Why it matters
Expands eligibility for record sealing. to include individuals convicted of petty offenses, no matter what the original charge was—potentially reducing the long-term consequences of criminal charges even if they were more serious at arrest.
Aims to improve employment and housing prospects. for people with minor convictions, since sealed records are less accessible to employers, landlords, and others who conduct background checks.
Maintains exceptions for specific offenses. (such as certain loitering charges and operating a motor vehicle while ability impaired), ensuring public safety considerations remain for particular violations.
Preserves judicial and prosecutorial discretion. by allowing courts or district attorneys to object to sealing in the interests of justice, meaning not all cases will be sealed automatically.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Seal Petty Offense Records
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Signed chap.359
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–1
- 3rd reading cal.1527
- Substituted for S6347
- Referred to rules
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Advanced to third reading cal.455
- Reported
- 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.
Seal Petty Offense Records
Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor Jamaal Bailey
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7584
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 10, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. LENTOL -- (at request of the Office of Court Administration) -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the criminal procedure law, in relation to sealing petty offenses
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The opening paragraph of subdivision 1 of section 160.55 of the criminal procedure law, as amended by chapter 169 of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
[Upon] Regardless of the class of offense for which a person is initially charged, upon the termination of a criminal action or proceeding against a person by the conviction of such person of a traffic infraction or a violation, other than a violation of loitering as described in paragraph (d) [or (e)] of subdivision one of section 160.10 of this [chapter] article or the violation of operating a motor vehicle while ability impaired as described in subdivision one of section eleven hundred ninety-two of the vehicle and traffic law, unless the district attorney upon motion with not less than five [days] days' notice to such person or his or her attorney demonstrates to the satisfaction of the court that the interests of justice require otherwise, or the court on its own motion with not less than five [days] days' notice to such person or his or her attorney determines that the interests of justice require otherwise and states the reasons for such determination on the record, the clerk of the court wherein such criminal action or proceeding was terminated shall immediately notify the commissioner of the division of criminal justice services and the heads of all appropriate police departments and other law enforcement agencies that the action has been terminated by such conviction. Upon receipt of notification of such termination:
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11521-01-9
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.