Assembly Bill A868

Signed By Governor
2021-2022 Legislative Session

Decriminalizes the possession and sale of hypodermic needles and syringes; repealer

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status Via S2523 - Signed by Governor


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2021-A868 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S2523
Law Section:
Penal Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §220.03, rpld §220.45, Pen L; amd §850, Gen Bus L; amd §3381, Pub Health L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2015-2016: A5471, S4099
2017-2018: A6258, S1082
2019-2020: A1634, S875

2021-A868 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Decriminalizes the possession and sale of hypodermic needles and syringes; regulates the sale of hypodermic needles and syringes.

2021-A868 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    868
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 6, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  GOTTFRIED, L. ROSENTHAL, DE LA ROSA, WALKER,
   WEPRIN, DINOWITZ, BRONSON,  ABINANTI,  JOYNER,  STECK,  SIMON,  GLICK,
   AUBRY,  FERNANDEZ, CRUZ, EPSTEIN, REYES -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of
   A. BRAUNSTEIN, CARROLL, COOK, HEVESI, HYNDMAN, KIM,  NIOU,  RICHARDSON
   -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the penal law, in relation to criminal possession of a
   controlled substance in the seventh degree; to amend the general busi-
   ness law, in relation to  drug-related  paraphernalia;  to  amend  the
   public health law, in relation to the sale and possession of hypoderm-
   ic syringes and needles; and to repeal section 220.45 of the penal law
   relating to criminally possessing a hypodermic instrument
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The opening paragraph of section 220.03 of the  penal  law,
 as  amended by section 4 of part I of chapter 57 of the laws of 2015, is
 amended to read as follows:
   A person is guilty of criminal possession of a controlled substance in
 the seventh degree when he or she knowingly and unlawfully  possesses  a
 controlled  substance;  provided,  however,  that  it  shall  not  be  a
 violation of this section when a person possesses a residual amount of a
 controlled substance and that residual amount is in or on  a  hypodermic
 syringe or hypodermic needle [obtained and possessed pursuant to section
 thirty-three hundred eighty-one of the public health law, which includes
 the  state's  syringe  exchange  and pharmacy and medical provider-based
 expanded syringe access programs]; nor shall it be a violation  of  this
 section when a person's unlawful possession of a controlled substance is
 discovered  as  a  result of seeking immediate health care as defined in
 paragraph (b) of subdivision three of section 220.78 of [the penal  law]
 THIS  ARTICLE,  for either another person or him or herself because such
 person is experiencing a drug or alcohol overdose or other life  threat-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

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