Bill > S00394

This bill establishes new procedural requirements for the governor's clemency process, aimed at making the application and review process for reprieves, commutations, and pardons more transparent and accessible. Under the new law, when an individual submits a clemency application, the governor must provide a written notification of receipt, a unique receipt number for tracking the application's status, guidelines for submitting additional information, and a notification when a decision is made. The bill introduces an "urgent need" provision, allowing applicants to highlight time-sensitive circumstances such as pending deportation, humanitarian concerns, health issues, or advanced age. The governor must decide on urgent applications within 90 days and all other applications within one year. Additionally, the bill mandates quarterly reporting to the legislature, including the number of applications received and demographic information about approved or denied applicants, without revealing personally identifiable details. The legislative findings emphasize that the current clemency process is complex and underutilized, with only 95 clemency actions granted between 2017-2020 despite over 6,400 applications, and the bill aims to address systemic injustices in the criminal legal and immigration systems.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S394