Bill > A05326

This bill enacts the Criminal Street Gang Related Crimes Act, which introduces enhanced criminal sanctions for crimes committed in connection with street gangs. The legislation defines a "criminal street gang" as an organization of three or more persons with criminal activities as a primary focus, and establishes a comprehensive framework for identifying gang members based on specific criteria such as self-admission, association patterns, and law enforcement documentation. The bill expands criminal penalties for a wide range of specified offenses (including assault, robbery, kidnapping, and other violent crimes) when those offenses are committed by a gang member or in furtherance of gang activity. Specifically, the bill increases criminal charges by one category for gang-related misdemeanors and lower-level felonies, and mandates stricter sentencing for more serious felonies, with minimum sentences ranging from six to twenty years depending on the offense class. The legislation aims to combat gang-related criminal activity by providing law enforcement and courts with more robust tools to prosecute and penalize gang-involved crimes, drawing inspiration from similar laws in other states like New Jersey, California, and Florida. The bill also allows local governments to adopt complementary laws addressing gang activity and will take effect on the first of November following its passage.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A5326