Bill

S 5586

Provides for family members of a crime victim and interested parties to make statements to members of the parole board

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Pam Helming and 7 co-sponsors

Allows crime victims' families and other interested parties to present statements to the parole board, influencing parole decisions with victim impact input.

REFERRED TO CODES

WeVote Research Nonpartisan

Bill Summary · S 5586

Summary: Bill S 5586

Overview

Bill S 5586 is a New York Senate bill introduced on February 25, 2025 and referred to the Codes Committee. The bill would provide for family members of crime victims and other interested parties to make statements to members of the parole board as part of the parole consideration process. The primary sponsor is Andrew J. Lanza, with several cosponsors including Mario Mattera, Dean Murray, Anthony H. Palumbo, Peter Oberacker, Dan Stec, Alexis Weik, and Pamela Helming.

Purpose

To ensure that victims’ families and other interested parties have the opportunity to present statements to the parole board during parole hearings or related proceedings.
The underlying aim appears to be enhancing victims’ rights and giving more voice to those affected by crimes in the parole decision-making process.

Key Provisions (as inferred from the title)

Authorization for statements: The bill would authorize or require the parole board to receive and consider statements from family members of crime victims and other interested parties.
Scope of statements: While specifics are not provided in the available material, such statements typically cover impacts of the crime, ongoing safety concerns, and the desired outcomes of parole decisions.
Interaction with parole proceedings: Statements would be integrated into the parole consideration process, influencing how the board weighs victim impact alongside other statutory factors.

Note: The exact textual details (e.g., who qualifies as an “interested party,” how statements are submitted, time limits, confidentiality protections, and the manner of presentation) are not provided in the information given.

Affected Parties

Primary: Family members of crime victims.
Interested parties: Individuals or organizations identified under the bill as eligible to provide statements (definition not specified here).
Parole board: The body that would receive and assess these statements as part of parole determinations.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Status: Referred to Codes (February 25, 2025). This indicates the bill is at an early committee stage; no further action details are provided.
Legislative actions listed: Both entries note “2025-02-25: REFERRED TO CODES,” reinforcing its current committee-tracking status.
Related activity: The bill has several related bills from prior sessions (S 4625, S 4153, S 2946, S 730, S 6825, S 6200, S 1782, S 4922, S 4188), suggesting ongoing consideration of victims’ rights and parole-related procedures across sessions.

Potential Impact

Victim and family engagement: Could strengthen victims’ rights by providing a direct channel to influence parole considerations.
Parole board deliberations: May lead to broader input in parole decisions, potentially affecting outcomes.
Implementation considerations: Successful enactment would require clear procedures (submission methods, timing, confidentiality, and safety measures) not detailed in the available information, as well as resources for the parole board to manage additional inputs.

Notes

Text of the bill is not provided here; the summary reflects the stated purpose and the information available in the bill record. For full details on definitions, process, and protections, the bill’s full language and committee reports should be reviewed once available.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.