New York S 511: Prevents unfounded complaints against police officers, peace officers, firefighters, correction officers, and emergency medical service providers from being disclosed or added to personnel records

Bill Text

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S00511 Summary:

BILL NOS00511 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A05700

&nbsp

SPONSORPALUMBO

&nbsp

COSPNSR

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Add §50-a, Civ Rts L

&nbsp

Prevents unfounded complaints against police officers, peace officers, firefighters, correction officers and emergency medical service providers from being disclosed or added to such police officer, peace officer, firefighter, correction officer or emergency medical service provider's personnel record.

Go to top S00511 Actions:

BILL NOS00511 

&nbsp

01/08/2025REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

01/07/2026REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Go to topS00511 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS00511 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS00511 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 511

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 (Prefiled)

 January 8, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. PALUMBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Govern-
 ment Operations

 AN ACT to amend the civil rights law, in relation to preventing
 unfounded complaints against police officers, peace officers, fire-
 fighters, correction officers and emergency medical service providers
 from being disclosed or added to a personnel record

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. The civil rights law is amended by adding a new section
 2 50-a to read as follows:
 3 § 50-a. Personnel records of police officers, peace officers, fire-
 4 fighters, correction officers and emergency medical service providers.
 5 1. For the purposes of this section, the term "personnel record" shall
 6 mean all personnel records used to evaluate performance toward continued
 7 employment or promotion, under the control of any police agency or
 8 department of the state or any political subdivision thereof including
 9 authorities or agencies maintaining police forces of individuals defined
 10 as police officers in section 1.20 of the criminal procedure law and
 11 such personnel records under the control of a sheriff's department or a
 12 department of correction of individuals employed as correction officers
 13 and such personnel records under the control of a paid fire department
 14 or force of individuals employed as firefighters or
 15 firefighter/paramedics and such personnel records under the control of
 16 the department of corrections and community supervision for individuals
 17 defined as peace officers pursuant to subdivisions twenty-three and
 18 twenty-three-a of section 2.10 of the criminal procedure law and such
 19 personnel records under the control of a probation department for indi-
 20 viduals defined as peace officers pursuant to subdivision twenty-four of
 21 section 2.10 of the criminal procedure law and such personnel records

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD02131-01-5

 S. 511 2

 1 under the control of an emergency medical service provider who provides
 2 emergency medical service as defined in section three thousand one of
 3 the public health law for individuals who provide emergency medical
 4 services.
 5 2. (a) Any part of a personnel record which contains information
 6 regarding a complaint which was investigated and determined to be
 7 unfounded shall be considered confidential and not subject to inspection
 8 or review without the express written consent of such police officer,
 9 firefighter, firefighter/paramedic, correction officer or peace officer
 10 within the department of corrections and community supervision or
 11 probation department, or emergency medical service provider except as
 12 may be mandated by lawful court order.
 13 (b) Prior to issuing such court order the judge must review all such
 14 requests and give interested parties the opportunity to be heard. No
 15 such order shall issue without a clear showing of facts sufficient to
 16 warrant the judge to request records for review.
 17 (c) If, after such hearing, the judge concludes there is a sufficient
 18 basis, the judge shall sign an order requiring that the relevant portion
 19 of