Bill > A00403

This bill, known as the Clemency Justice Act, establishes new procedural requirements for the governor's clemency process (reprieves, commutations, and pardons), addressing what the legislature sees as systemic inefficiencies in the current system. The bill requires the governor to provide applicants with a written receipt upon application, a unique receipt number to track application status, guidelines for supplementing their application, and a notification when a decision is made. Additionally, the bill introduces an "urgent need" provision allowing applicants to highlight critical circumstances such as pending deportation, humanitarian concerns, health issues, or advanced age, which would require the governor to make a decision within 90 days. The governor must now submit quarterly reports to the legislature about clemency applications, including aggregate data about the number of applications and demographic information about approved or denied applicants, while protecting individual identities. The bill aims to increase transparency and efficiency in the clemency process, particularly for marginalized communities, noting that between 2017-2020, only 95 pardons or commutations were granted out of 6,405 applications, despite an estimated 9,000 people (predominantly people of color) serving life sentences.

Government Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A403