New York A 8386: Relates to the creation of a "ebony alert system" for missing Black youth

Bill Text

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A08386 Summary:

BILL NOA08386A

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS S06865-A

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SPONSORBurroughs

&nbsp

COSPNSRMeeks, Lee, Chandler-Waterman, Sayegh, Solages, Gibbs, Wright, Taylor, Seawright, Vanel, Forrest,
 Cunningham, Anderson, Hooks, Hyndman, O'Pharrow

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Add §837-f-3, Exec L

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Provides for the creation of an ebony alert system to be activated on behalf of Black youth who are reported missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances, at risk, developmentally disabled, or cognitively impaired, or who have been abducted.

Go to top A08386 Actions:

BILL NOA08386A

&nbsp

05/13/2025referred to governmental operations

01/07/2026referred to governmental operations

05/06/2026amend and recommit to governmental operations

05/06/2026print number 8386a

05/19/2026reported referred to rules

Go to topA08386 Committee&nbspVotes:

Committee:GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS Chair:McDonald 
DATE:05/19/2026AYE/NAY:14/0 Action: Favorable refer to committee Rules McDonaldAyeBeephanAye

GlickAyeSimpsonAye

KimAyeNovakhovAye

Bichotte HermelAyeNorberAye

WilliamsAye

RagaAye

SimoneAye

ShimskyAye

KassayAye

BurroughsAye

Go to topA08386 Floor&nbspVotes:

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

Go to topA08386 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 8386--A

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN ASSEMBLY

 May 13, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. BURROUGHS, MEEKS, LEE, CHANDLER-WATERMAN, SAYEGH,
 SOLAGES, GIBBS, WRIGHT, TAYLOR, SEAWRIGHT, VANEL, FORREST, CUNNINGHAM,
 ANDERSON, HOOKS, HYNDMAN, O'PHARROW -- read once and referred to the
 Committee on Governmental Operations -- recommitted to the Committee
 on Governmental Operations in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2
 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended
 and recommitted to said committee

 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to the creation of a
 "ebony alert system" for missing Black youth

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

 1 Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section
 2 837-f-3 to read as follows:
 3 § 837-f-3. Ebony alert system. 1. The division of criminal justice
 4 services, through the missing children clearinghouse and in consultation
 5 with the division of state police, shall establish and maintain an ebony
 6 alert system on behalf of Black youth, to provide prompt dissemination
 7 of information to the public regarding missing persons who meet the
 8 criteria established pursuant to this section.
 9 2. A law enforcement agency investigating a missing person case may
 10 request activation of an ebony alert through the missing children clear-
 11 inghouse. Upon receipt of such request, the division, through the miss-
 12 ing children clearinghouse and in coordination with the division of
 13 state police, shall evaluate the request and determine whether acti-
 14 vation criteria have been met.
 15 3. An ebony alert may be activated when the division determines that:
 16 (a) the missing person is twelve to twenty-five years of age, inclu-
 17 sive;
 18 (b) the disappearance of such person is unexplained or suspicious;
 19 (c) the missing person suffers from a mental or physical disability;

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD09408-02-6

 A. 8386--A 2

 1 (d) the missing person may be at risk of harm, including but not
 2 limited to trafficking, exploitation, or other criminal activity;
 3 (e) the individual is believed to be in danger or otherwise in peril;
 4 and
 5 (f) sufficient descriptive information is available that dissemination
 6 to the public could assist in the safe recovery of such person.
 7 4. Upon activation of an ebony alert, the division may disseminate
 8 information regarding the missing person through appropriate communi-
 9 cations systems, including but not limited to:
 10 (a) law enforcement communications networks;
 11 (b) broadcast and digital media outlets;
 12 (c) wireless emergency alerts or other public alert notification
 13 systems;
 14 (d) internet or social media platforms utilized by the division or
 15 participating agencies; and
 16 (e) other public notificatio