New York S 3991: Provides for the issuance of free hunting, fishing and trapping licenses to persons who are active or reserve members of the armed forces or the organized militia, and to certain veterans thereof

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S03991 Summary:

BILL NOS03991 

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SAME ASSAME AS A06398

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SPONSORPARKER

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COSPNSR

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MLTSPNSR

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Add Art 18-C §§723 - 723-d, amd §§722 & 722-c, County L; amd §1303, RPAP L; amd §§227 & 261, V & T L; add
§98-e, St Fin L; amd §468-a, Judy L

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Creates the New York Civil Gideon Act.

Go to top S03991 Actions:

BILL NOS03991 

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01/31/2025REFERRED TO JUDICIARY

01/07/2026REFERRED TO JUDICIARY

Go to topS03991 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS03991 Floor&nbspVotes:

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

Go to topS03991 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 3991

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 January 31, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary

 AN ACT to amend the county law, the real property actions and
 proceedings law, the vehicle and traffic law, the state finance law
 and the judiciary law, in relation to enacting the "NY Civil Gideon
 Act"

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

 1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "New York
 2 Civil Gideon act".
 3 § 2. The county law is amended by adding a new article 18-C to read as
 4 follows:
 5 ARTICLE 18-C
 6 REPRESENTATION OF PERSONS IN CIVIL MATTERS
 7 Section 723. Legislative findings.
 8 723-a. Civil right to counsel commission.
 9 723-b. Lead agency for civil right to counsel.
 10 723-c. Assigned counsel for civil matters review panel.
 11 723-d. Compensation and reimbursement.
 12 § 723. Legislative findings. The legislature hereby finds and declares
 13 as follows:
 14 1. Every year, at least eighty percent of the civil legal needs of low
 15 income New Yorkers go unmet.
 16 2. These legal needs often concern matters pertaining to the essen-
 17 tials of life including shelter, food, employment, health, and family
 18 sustainability.
 19 3. The lack of available civil legal assistance undermines comprehen-
 20 sive assistance for crime victims.
 21 4. The lack of civil legal services to resolve a family's legal prob-
 22 lems often disrupts the children and young adults' education, frequently
 23 with a permanent impact.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD05267-01-5

 S. 3991 2

 1 5. The lack of civil legal services can worsen chronic health problems
 2 often increasing the cost of medical care.
 3 6. The lack of civil legal services can result in homelessness not
 4 only affecting the individual families but also destabilizing entire
 5 neighborhoods.
 6 7. In light of these trying economic times, the need for civil legal
 7 services has increased beyond individuals below the federal poverty
 8 guidelines to homeowners and other middle income New Yorkers that
 9 provide the foundation for New York's economy.
 10 8. The substantial number of unrepresented litigants in civil legal
 11 matters adversely impacts the quality of justice for all parties in the
 12 courts of New York state, increases the amount of litigation, and under-
 13 mines the rule of law.
 14 9. It has been found that when a society is unable to meet their basic
 15 human needs it is in an ongoing state of emergency.
 16 10. The unmet need for civil legal assistance in the state is
 17 profoundly impacting vulnerable New Yorkers and costing taxpayers
 18 millions of dollars by increasing homelessness, failing to prevent
 19 domestic violence, and increasing poverty.
 20 11. In order to address this emergency, this legislature finds that a
 21 right to counsel in certain civil matters is imperative.
 22 § 723-a. Civil right to counsel commission. 1. There is hereby estab-
 23 lished the civil right to counsel commission. The commission shall be
 24 composed of eleven members.
 25 2. a. The members of the commission shall be appointed as follows:
 26 (i) one member shall be appointed by the governor and shall be an
 27 attorney with expertise in civil legal services;
 28 (ii) one member shall be appointed by the temporary president of the
 29 senate;
 30 (iii) one member shall be appointed by the speaker of