What's happening
This bill requires the State Police to create and enforce uniform investigative standards for every police shooting of a civilian.
Why it matters
Ensures Consistency and Accountability. By requiring state police to set and enforce uniform investigative standards, the bill aims to eliminate variability in how police shootings of civilians are investigated across different jurisdictions, potentially increasing public trust in the process.
Promotes Transparency. Mandating the same procedures for every police shooting investigation makes it easier for the public, oversight bodies, and the media to understand how these incidents are handled, which can help spot patterns, problems, or improvements over time.
Strengthens Oversight and Compliance. With clear, statewide standards, it becomes easier to audit and evaluate police departments’ compliance with investigative requirements, possibly reducing the risk of cover-ups or biased investigations.
Potentially Improves Justice Outcomes. Uniform standards could help ensure that all police shootings are subject to the same level of scrutiny, regardless of location or agency, which may lead to fairer and more consistent outcomes for both civilians and officers involved.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Standardize Police Shooting Investigations
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to finance
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.
Standardize Police Shooting Investigations
In Assembly Committee · Governmental Operations · Sponsor Philip Ramos
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8141
IN SENATE
March 30, 2020
Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to requiring the superintendent of the state police to establish uniform investigatory standards when there is a shooting of a civilian by a police officer
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 223-a to read as follows:
§ 223-a. Minimum uniform investigatory standards. The superintendent of the state police shall promulgate minimum uniform investigatory standards to be implemented when there is a shooting of a civilian by a police officer and shall mandate that such standards must be followed every time there is a shooting of a civilian by a police officer.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07562-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to requiring the super- intendent of the state police to establish uniform investigatory stand- ards when there is a shooting of a civilian by a police officer
Purpose or general idea of bill
To amend the existing executive law by adding a new section 223-a to have minimum uniform standards implemented by the superintendent of state police for the purpose of investigating civilian shootings by police officers.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 of the bill amends the executive law by adding section 223-a to create minimum uniform investigatory standards in cases of civilian shootings by police officers.
Section 2 provides for an effective date.
Justification
Currently there are no uniform standards or guidelines in place to follow in cases where a civilian is shot by a police officer. This new bill calls on the superintendent of the state police to implement mini- mum investigatory standards when there is a shooting of a civilian by a police officer. It also mandates that such standards must be followed every time there is a shooting of a civilian by a police officer.
Prior legislative history
New Bill
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.