Bill > A01480

This bill amends New York state law to make life imprisonment without parole mandatory for defendants convicted of murder in the first or second degree when the victim is a police officer, peace officer, first responder, or correctional officer. Specifically, the bill adds a new provision to the penal law that defines murder in the second degree to include intentionally causing the death of a police officer, peace officer, firefighter, emergency medical personnel, or correctional facility employee while committing or attempting to commit certain serious crimes like robbery, burglary, or kidnapping. The bill also modifies existing statutes to ensure that such murders result in a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without parole, removing previous options for alternative sentencing. This means that defendants convicted under these circumstances will not be eligible for parole, conditional release, commutation, or pardon. The legislation aims to provide enhanced legal protections and consequences for crimes committed against essential public service workers, reflecting a strong stance against violence targeting these professional groups.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A1480