Amd §§835, 623 & 631-a, Exec L (as proposed in S.6238-A & A.5791-A)
Defines the term "mass shooting" for purposes of emergency response measures and access to emergency funding as a shooting incident in which at least four people are murdered with a firearm, rifle, or shotgun.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8569
SPONSOR: Chandler-Waterman TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to defining the term
"mass shooting" for purposes of emergency response measures and access
to emergency funding
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to effectuate an amendment to Chapter 709 of
the Laws 2023 related to defining "mass shooting" for the purposes of
emergency response measures and access to funding.
SUMMARY:
Section one would amend the Executive Law to include a definition of
"mass shooting".
Section two would clarify that the powers and duties of the Office of
Victim Services include utilizing federal emergency grants to supplement
the office's resources when responding to mass shootings, incidents of
terrorism, or mass violence.
Section three would clarify that victims of a mass shooting or of a
shooting incident in which four or more people are injured are eligible
for funds from the Office of Victim Services.
Section four would establish the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
This bill would make amendments to Chapter 709 of the Laws of 2023 that
defined "mass shooting", a previously undefined term in state law. The
bill would ensure and clarify that victims of such incidents, partic-
ularly in underserved communities where gun violence is frequently
ignored, are eligible for compensation from the New York State Office of
Victim Services.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a
chapter of the laws of 2023 amending the executive law relating to
defining the term "mass shooting" for the purposes of emergency response
measures and access to emergency funding as proposed in legislative
bills numbers 5.6238-A and A.5791-A, takes effect.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8569
IN ASSEMBLY
January 11, 2024
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CHANDLER-WATERMAN -- read once and referred to
the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to defining the term
"mass shooting" for purposes of emergency response measures and access
to emergency funding
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 11 of section 835 of the executive law, as
2 added by a chapter of the laws of 2023 amending the executive law relat-
3 ing to defining the term "mass shooting" for purposes of emergency
4 response measures and access to emergency funding, as proposed in legis-
5 lative bills numbers S. 6238-A and A. 5791-A, is amended to read as
6 follows:
7 11. "Mass shooting" means[, for the purposes of any funding received
8 or expended pursuant to this article, a shooting] an incident [involving
9 one or more firearms, rifles or shotguns during] in which at least four
10 [or more] people[, other than the individual or individuals alleged to
11 have committed such incident, were injured or killed] are murdered with
12 a firearm, rifle, or shotgun.
13 § 2. Subdivision 19 of section 623 of the executive law, as amended by
14 chapter 291 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
15 19. To accept, with the approval of the governor, as agent of the
16 state, any grant including, but not limited to any periodic federal
17 grants which support the purposes of this article and any federal emer-
18 gency assistance grants to supplement the office's available resources
19 when responding to mass shootings as defined in subdivision eleven of
20 section eight hundred thirty-five of this chapter or any other incident
21 of terrorism or mass violence, any fines or penalties imposed pursuant
22 to section three hundred forty-one or three hundred forty-two-a of the
23 general business law and made payable to the office pursuant to section
24 three hundred forty-seven-a of such law, or any gift for the purposes of
25 this article. Any monies so received may be expended by the office to
26 effectuate any purpose of this article, subject to the applicable
27 provisions of the state finance law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10287-08-4
A. 8569 2
1 § 3. Subparagraphs (iv) and (v) of paragraph (b) of subdivision 2 of
2 section 631-a of the executive law, as amended by section 27 of part A-1
3 of chapter 56 of the laws of 2010, are amended and a new subparagraph
4 (vi) is added to read as follows:
5 (iv) transportation and household assistance; [and]
6 (v) outreach to the community and education and training of law
7 enforcement and other criminal justice officials to the needs of crime
8 victims[.]; and
9 (vi) services to victims of a mass shooting as defined in subdivision
10 eleven of section eight hundred thirty-five of this chapter or of a
11 shooting incident in which four or more people are injured.
12 § 4. This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same
13 manner as a chapter of the laws of 2023 amending the executive law
14 relating to defining the term "mass shooting" for purposes of emergency
15 response measures and access to emergency funding, as proposed in legis-
16 lative bills numbers S. 6238-A and A. 5791-A, takes effect.
