S487A-2011 Actions

• May 2, 2012: referred to codes
• May 1, 2012: DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
• May 1, 2012: PASSED SENATE
• Apr 30, 2012: ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
• Apr 26, 2012: 2ND REPORT CAL.
• Apr 25, 2012: 1ST REPORT CAL.572
• Jan 18, 2012: REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO CODES
• Jan 4, 2012: returned to senate
• Jan 4, 2012: died in assembly
• Feb 14, 2011: referred to codes
• Feb 14, 2011: DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
• Feb 14, 2011: PASSED SENATE
• Feb 8, 2011: ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
• Feb 7, 2011: 2ND REPORT CAL.
• Feb 1, 2011: 1ST REPORT CAL.58
• Jan 5, 2011: REFERRED TO CODES

S487A-2011 Votes

S487A-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S487

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the penal law, in relation to consecutive sentences
for sexual offenders on probation

PURPOSE:
This bill would strengthen the probation law regarding sex offenders
who are found guilty of another offense during their probation time.
With this change in the law, such offenders would now have to serve
consecutive sentences rather than concurrent sentences for which the
law currently allows.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
This bill amends subdivision 4 of section 60.01 of the Penal Law,
requiring any sentence for a sexual offense as defined in Article 130
or an offense included in the following: incest (section 255.5), the
use of a child in a sexual performance (section 263.10) or promoting
a sexual performance by a child (section 263.15) to run consecutively
to any other term of imprisonment.

JUSTIFICATION:
Keeping felony recidivism rates down has been a long time struggle for
the public safety community and society in general. Sex offenders,
especially those offenses that include minors and children have an
unusually high rate of recidivism with a very low rehabilitative rate.
Based upon this said fear and concern for sex offenders who
re-violate upon release from prison, Megan's Law was implemented in
1995 to develop a sex offender registry and notification system when
he/she moves into a new residence. The general consensus arrived at
with this bill is that people have a right to know the potential
level of danger that a convicted sex offender may represent to
themselves or their children.
The sex offender registry and community notification system has been
very helpful thus far in keeping neighborhoods and families safe.

However, the statistics continue to underscore the point that many
sexual offenders will and do re-offend. Some even re-offend during
their probation period. How does the state handle such probation
violators? Presently, the law allows any additional sentencing for
new offenses occurring during a probationary period to be served
concurrently with the original terms of the offender's sentence.
Thus, a violation of that probationary period would thereby go
unpunished, saving this offender from the maximum allowable
penalty. This legislation would change the penal code to provide only
consecutive sentencing for convicted sex offenders who re-violate
while on probation.

This legislation seeks to close an existing loophole in the law for
sex offenders. This is not just a legal matter, but a personal matter
especially for those residents in a particular Rochester neighborhood
where such a series of incidents prompted the introduction of this
bill. When the convicted risk level 3 sex offender first came to live
in the neighborhood under house arrest with his parents, the
community was notified per Megan's Law of his imminent move to the


area. For obvious reasons, many residents were concerned not just for
their own children, but also because of the very large number of
children at play in the particular area surrounding the offender's
soon-to-be home. The community held informational meetings and
hesitantly welcomed this person into their neighborhood. Within a
year, this individual was arrested and plead guilty to sodomizing two
youths from nearby Montgomery County. The children in the
neighborhood surrounding this man's house were safe but the
residents' fears of him offending again were unfortunately confirmed.

As a state, we need to ensure the safety of our neighborhoods and
children from repeat crimes of sex offenders. Education is vital to
helping children stay safe from harm. The sexual offender registry
and notification system have enhanced the ability for parents in
keeping their children and neighbors safe from harm, too. However, we
need to go further and tighten the state law so that convicted sexual
offenders will receive the maximum penalty for violating terms of
their probationary release.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2007-2008: PASSED SENATE

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Undetermined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law.

S487A-2011 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 
                                          487
 2011-2012 Regular Sessions
 I N  SENATE
 (PREFILED)
 January 5, 2011
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  ROBACH -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
 

AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to consecutive sentences  for
 sexual offenders on probation
 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 60.01 of the penal law, as amended
 by chapter 548 of the laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows:

 4. In any case where a person  has  been  sentenced  to  a  period  of
 probation imposed pursuant to section 65.00 of this chapter, if the part
 of  the  sentence that provides for probation is revoked, the court must
 sentence such person to imprisonment or to the sentence of  imprisonment
 and  probation  as  provided  for in paragraph (d) of subdivision two of
 this section; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, EVERY SUCH SENTENCE OF IMPRISONMENT FOR
 A PERSON CONVICTED OF AN OFFENSE CONTAINED IN ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED THIRTY
 OF THIS CHAPTER OR SECTION 255.25, 255.26,  255.27,  263.05,  263.10  OR
 263.15  OF  THIS  CHAPTER  SHALL  RUN CONSECUTIVELY TO ANY OTHER TERM OF
 IMPRISONMENT IMPOSED FOR ANOTHER SUCH OFFENSE BY A COURT OF THIS STATE.
 

S 2. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeed
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD01930-01-1

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