Bill > S02372

This bill, known as "Chelsey's law", amends the New York penal law to create new criminal provisions related to drug-related deaths. Specifically, the bill establishes that a person can be charged with manslaughter or aggravated manslaughter if they knowingly sell, administer, deliver, or cause the delivery of a controlled substance that leads to or contributes to another person's death. The law introduces several aggravating circumstances that can elevate the charge, such as selling drugs to minors, selling to someone already impaired, selling to someone who has recently completed drug rehabilitation, or not disclosing the full composition of a substance mixture. The bill creates a legal presumption that selling controlled substances without a prescription is evidence that the seller knew the substance could cause death. The law applies to various scenarios, including sales to individuals under 18, sales involving specific types of drugs like opiates, and sales to individuals with a history of substance use or recent overdose. By expanding the legal definition of manslaughter, the bill aims to hold drug sellers more accountable when their actions result in fatal overdoses, potentially serving as a deterrent and providing a legal mechanism for prosecution in drug-related death cases.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2372