Bill > S01388

This bill amends the New York Penal Law to create a new, more severe criminal offense for selling controlled substances to very young children. Specifically, it establishes a new crime called "criminal sale of a controlled substance to a child in the first degree," which applies when an adult 18 years or older sells a controlled substance to a person under 14 years old. This new offense is classified as a class A-II felony, which is significantly more serious than the existing crime of "criminal sale of a controlled substance to a child in the second degree" (which applies to sales to children under 17 and is a class B felony). The bill also makes some minor language changes to the existing statute, such as replacing "[he or she]" with "such person" and adding specificity to the degree of the offense. The law will take effect 180 days after it becomes law, giving time for law enforcement and judicial systems to prepare for the new classification. The goal appears to be providing enhanced legal protection for very young children and imposing stricter penalties on those who would sell drugs to them.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1388