Bill > A07181

This bill addresses racial profiling in traffic stops by establishing comprehensive guidelines for law enforcement agencies in New York. It defines racial profiling as the detention or disparate treatment of an individual solely based on their racial or ethnic status, and explicitly prohibits law enforcement officers from using race or ethnicity as the sole factor in making stops, arrests, or determining probable cause. The bill requires all municipal police departments, sheriff's offices, and state police to adopt written policies by January 1, 2027, that prohibit stops based exclusively on protected characteristics like race, color, ethnicity, age, gender, or sexual orientation. These agencies must also begin detailed record-keeping for traffic stops, documenting information such as the number of stops, demographic characteristics of those stopped, reasons for the stop, and outcomes like warnings, citations, or searches. The Division of Criminal Justice Services is tasked with developing standardized forms for recording stop information and complaint submissions, and will conduct an annual review of traffic stop data. By January 2028, the division must provide a comprehensive report to the governor and legislature, including recommendations based on their findings. The bill includes provisions to protect good-faith reporting by officers and establishes potential financial penalties for agencies that fail to comply with the new requirements, ultimately aiming to reduce discriminatory policing practices.

Government Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A7181