What's happening
This bill requires notification to victims who are family or household members before an incarcerated individual convicted of a crime against them is conditionally released.
Why it matters
Enhances victim safety and preparedness. by ensuring that victims who are family or household members are directly notified before the release of the person convicted of a crime against them—giving them time to take protective steps or make informed decisions about their own safety.
Specifies clear notification procedures. The law requires notification by email when possible, or by certified mail if not, and mandates that if the victim’s address is a domestic abuse shelter, the shelter’s director or administrator must also be informed—promoting coordinated support for vulnerable victims.
Defines the scope of “family or household members”. to include relatives by blood or marriage, current or former spouses, and parents of a child in common (regardless of marriage or cohabitation), ensuring a broad range of domestic relationships are covered and protected under these notification rules.
Applies prospectively to all relevant releases after the effective date. , meaning families impacted by domestic violence or similar crimes will benefit from advance notice for future conditional releases, potentially reducing the risk of unwanted contact or further harm.
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Who cares
Victims of crimes by relatives, spouses, former spouses or co-parents
They would receive notice of conditional release and its conditions at least one week in advance, unless they refuse notice or their whereabouts are unknown.
New York State Board of Parole
The board would have to send the required notices by email when an address is available, or otherwise by certified mail to the victim’s last known address.
Domestic abuse shelter directors and administrators
They would also receive notice when a victim’s notification address is their shelter.
Headline styles
Notify Victims of Release
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to correction
- Referred to correction
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
267
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. EACHUS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Correction
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to notification of certain persons upon the conditional release of an incarcerated individual convicted of a crime against a member of the same family or household
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 259-c of the executive law, as amended by section 38-b of subpart A of part C of chapter 62 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
2. have the power and duty of determining the conditions of release of the person who may be presumptively released, conditionally released or subject to a period of post-release supervision under an indeterminate or determinate sentence of imprisonment. Where an incarcerated individual to be conditionally released was convicted of a crime and the victim is or was a member of the same family or household as the incarcerated individual it shall be the duty of the board at least one week prior to the release to notify the victim or victims of such offense, unless the victim refuses or the victim's whereabouts are unknown, that the incarcerated individual is being released and of the conditions of such release. Such notification shall be sent by electronic mail when the electronic mail address of the victim or victims is available, and when it is not, by certified mail to the last known address of the victim or victims. When such address is a shelter for victims of domestic abuse notice shall also be given to the director or administrator of such shelter. For purposes of this subdivision, "members of the same family or household" shall mean the following:
(a) persons related by consanguinity or affinity;
(b) persons legally married to one another;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01397-01-5
(c) persons formerly married to one another;
(d) persons who have a child in common, regardless of whether such persons have been married or have lived together at any time;
§ 2. Subdivision 2 of section 259-c of the executive law, as amended by chapter 322 of the laws of 2021, is amended to read as follows:
2. have the power and duty of determining the conditions of release of the person who may be conditionally released or subject to a period of post-release supervision under an indeterminate or reformatory sentence of imprisonment and of determining which incarcerated individuals serving a definite sentence of imprisonment may be conditionally released and when and under what conditions. Where an incarcerated individual to be conditionally released was convicted of a crime and the victim is or was a member of the same family or household as the incarcerated individual it shall be the duty of the board at least one week prior to the release to notify the victim or victims of such offense, unless the victim refuses or the victim's whereabouts are unknown, that the incarcerated individual is being released and of the conditions of such release. Such notification shall be sent by electronic mail when the electronic mail address of the victim or victims is available, and when it is not, by certified mail to the last known address of the victim or victims. When such address is a shelter for victims of domestic abuse notice shall also be given to the director or administrator of such shelter. For purposes of this subdivision, "members of the same family or household" shall mean the following:
(a) persons related by consanguinity or affinity;
(b) persons legally married to one another;
(c) persons formerly married to one another;
(d) persons who have a child in common, regardless of whether such persons have been married or have lived together at any time;
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law; provided that the amendments to subdivision 2 of section 259-c of the executive law, made by section one of this act, shall not affect the expiration and reversion of such subdivision and shall expire therewith, when upon such date the provisions of section two of this act shall take effect; and shall apply to all incarcerated individuals conditionally released on or after the effective date of this act.
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