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A 1312

Relates to granting the legislature the power to direct the attorney-general by concurrent resolution to inquire into matters concerning the public peace, public safety and public justice

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jeffrey Dinowitz and 5 co-sponsors

Allows NY Legislature, via concurrent resolution, to direct the Attorney General to investigate public peace, safety, and justice matters, expanding legislative oversight.

REFERRED TO GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS
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Bill Summary · A 1312

Summary of Bill A 1312

Overview

Bill A 1312 would authorize the New York State Legislature to direct the Attorney General to conduct inquiries into matters affecting public peace, public safety, and public justice. The directive would come through a concurrent resolution passed by the Legislature.

  • Bill number: A 1312
  • Official title: Relates to granting the legislature the power to direct the attorney-general by concurrent resolution to inquire into matters concerning the public peace, public safety and public justice
  • Status: Referred to Governmental Operations
  • Introduced: January 9, 2025
  • Sponsorship:
    • Primary: Jo Anne Simon
    • Co-sponsors: Rebecca Seawright, Chantel Jackson, Jerett Gandolfo, Stefani Zinerman, Jeffrey Dinowitz

What the bill would do

  • Grant the Legislature the authority, via a concurrent resolution, to direct the Attorney General to conduct an inquiry into specified matters related to public peace, public safety, and public justice.
  • The directive would require the Attorney General to undertake the inquiry as instructed by the concurrent resolution and presumably report findings back to the Legislature (specific reporting requirements are not detailed in the information provided).

Key provisions and changes (as described)

  • Creation of a formal mechanism for the Legislature to prompt investigative inquiries by the Attorney General.
  • Use of a concurrent resolution (bypassing the need for separate approvals from each house for the directive) to initiate the inquiry.
  • The scope of inquiry is tied to matters concerning public peace, public safety, and public justice.

Note: The available information does not include the full text, precise scope, reporting timelines, or remedies if the AG does not comply. Future committee amendments could alter these specifics.

Who would be affected

  • Legislature: Gaining a defined process to instruct the AG to investigate certain issues.
  • Attorney General: Obligated to carry out inquiries as directed by a concurrent resolution and to report back as required.
  • Public and governmental entities: Potentially affected to the extent inquiries address matters involving public safety, justice, or peace.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations on January 9, 2025.
  • The legislative actions listed show the bill being referred to Governmental Operations (appearance of duplicate entry in the provided actions).
  • Related legislation exists in prior sessions and in the Senate as a companion bill:
    • A 7115 (prior-session)
    • A 1688 (prior-session)
    • S 412 (companion) — listed twice in the companion context

Related legislation and context

  • Companion/Related bills: S 412 (Senate companion) and earlier assembly bills A 7115 and A 1688 suggest ongoing interest in strengthening legislative oversight of investigative actions or providing formal mechanisms for legislative inquiries via the Attorney General.
  • The exact boundaries, checks-and-balances, and procedures (e.g., scope, deadlines, reporting format, limits on subject matter) would be clarified in the bill text and any amendments during committee consideration.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Oversight enhancement: Could formalize legislative oversight over certain investigations and increase accountability on matters of public peace, safety, and justice.
  • Separation of powers considerations: May raise questions about the proper balance between legislative directives and executive-branch prosecutorial discretion.
  • Practical implementation: Effectiveness depends on procedural details (scope, timelines, reporting requirements, remedies for non-compliance) that typically appear in the full text and any amendments.

For readers seeking to monitor progress, the bill is currently in the Governmental Operations committee, with related companion measures in the Senate and prior-session bills that may inform negotiations or amendments.

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

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