S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  8225--A
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             November 6, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. BERGER -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on  Judiciary  -- recommitted to the Committee on Judiciary in accord-
   ance with Assembly Rule  3,  sec.  2  --  committee  discharged,  bill
   amended,  ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
   tee
 AN ACT to amend the family court act, in relation to enacting the "fami-
   ly court adjusted service time (FAST)  act";  and  providing  for  the
   repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "family court adjusted service time (FAST) act".
   § 2. Subdivision (a) of section 161 of the family court act is amended
 to read as follows:
   (a)  The days and hours the court is open shall be as provided by rule
 of court; PROVIDED, THAT THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR  OF  THE  COURTS  SHALL
 REQUIRE  THAT  THE COURT REMAIN OPEN UNTIL MIDNIGHT AT LEAST ONE NIGHT A
 WEEK IN AT LEAST TWO COUNTIES IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, EFFECTIVE JANUARY
 FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE, AND IN AT LEAST THREE COUNTIES IN  SUCH
 CITY,  EFFECTIVE  JANUARY  FIRST,  TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX. WHEN A COURT
 REMAINS OPEN UNTIL MIDNIGHT ON A  DAY  AS  PROVIDED  HEREIN,  THE  CHIEF
 ADMINISTRATOR  SHALL DETERMINE THE CLASSES OF CASES THAT MAY BE HEARD IN
 SUCH COURT AFTER FIVE O'CLOCK P.M. AND SUCH  CLASSES  OF  CASES  MAY  BE
 HEARD  BY  THE COURT UNTIL MIDNIGHT ON SUCH DAY; EXCEPT THAT, WHERE SUCH
 CLASSES INCLUDE CASES IN WHICH PETITIONS ARE FILED PURSUANT TO  ARTICLES
 THREE,  SIX,  EIGHT,  AND TEN OF THIS ACT, THE CLERK OF SUCH COURT SHALL
 ACCEPT SUCH PETITIONS UNTIL ELEVEN O'CLOCK P.M. ON SUCH DAY.
   § 3. Not later than December 1, 2026, the chief administrator  of  the
 courts  shall  submit  to  the  legislature, the governor, and the chief
 judge of the state a report evaluating the use of family  court  in  the
 counties wherein the chief administrator, pursuant to subdivision (a) of
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05182-05-4
              
             
                          
                 A. 8225--A                          2
 
 section  161 of the family court act, as amended pursuant to section one
 of this act, has required that the court remain open until midnight.
   §  4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire April 1,
 2027 when upon such date the provisions of  this  act  shall  be  deemed
 repealed.