Bill > S00327

This bill establishes comprehensive guidelines for law enforcement agencies' use of confidential informants (CIs), defining a CI as a person who cooperatively assists law enforcement while seeking to avoid prosecution or mitigate punishment, typically through activities like controlled drug purchases or providing ongoing criminal intelligence. The bill requires agencies to develop detailed policies that include informing potential CIs that they cannot be promised specific legal outcomes, ensuring CIs have the opportunity to consult legal counsel, and establishing rigorous procedures for recruiting, managing, and assessing CIs. Agencies must evaluate potential CIs based on factors such as age, mental capacity, criminal history, emotional stability, and the potential risks to the individual and ongoing investigations. The bill mandates that agencies create security procedures for protecting CI records, limit access to these records, document record access, and conduct periodic reviews of their CI practices. Importantly, the bill explicitly states that these provisions do not create additional legal rights for CIs or defendants, but instead aim to standardize and improve the responsible use of confidential informants in criminal investigations while prioritizing the safety of all involved parties.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S327