Bill > A04670

This bill modifies New York's criminal procedure law to establish new rules for disclosing grand jury materials when charges are dismissed. Specifically, when a grand jury dismisses all charges or directs the district attorney to file lesser charges in a local criminal court, an application can be made to the superior court to access certain grand jury proceeding materials. These materials include the original criminal charges, legal instructions given to the grand jury, testimony from public servants and expert witnesses, and redacted testimony from other witnesses to protect their identities. The court must evaluate three key factors before ordering disclosure: whether the public is already aware of the investigation, whether the subject of the investigation is known, and whether there is significant public interest. The bill also provides important protections, allowing the court to limit disclosure if there is a reasonable likelihood that revealing information could compromise witness safety, ongoing investigations, or public safety. Importantly, the bill uses gender-neutral language (changing "he" to "they") and does not restrict existing legal avenues for accessing grand jury materials. The law will take effect 30 days after being signed.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A4670