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Senate Bill S6656

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Allows for electronic court appearance in any county of the state, except an appearance at a hearing or trial

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Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Codes Committee

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2025-S6656 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Codes
Law Section:
Criminal Procedure Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §182.20, CP L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2011-2012: S6019
2013-2014: S3870
2015-2016: S2723
2017-2018: S2729
2019-2020: S4754
2021-2022: S4129
2023-2024: S4614

2025-S6656 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides for electronic court appearance in a criminal action, anywhere in the state, at the discretion of the court having jurisdiction of the defendant; provides that the defendant must, after consultation with counsel, consent on the record; provides that the chief administrator of the courts must first approve the use of such electronic appearance.

2025-S6656 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S6656 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6656
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 19, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  GRIFFO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
 
 AN ACT to amend the criminal procedure law, in  relation  to  electronic
   court appearance statewide
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 182.20 of the  criminal  procedure
 law,  as separately amended by chapters 232, 279, and 285 of the laws of
 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law and except  as  provided
 in  section  182.30  of  this article, the court, in its discretion, may
 dispense with the  personal  appearance  of  the  defendant,  except  an
 appearance  at  a hearing or trial, and conduct an electronic appearance
 in connection with a criminal action [pending in Albany, Bronx,  Broome,
 Erie,  Jefferson,  Kings,  Monroe,  New York, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga,
 Ontario, Orange, Orleans, Oswego, Putnam,  Queens,  Richmond,  Rockland,
 Saratoga, St. Lawrence, Seneca, Steuben, Tompkins, Chautauqua, Cattarau-
 gus, Clinton, Essex, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Sullivan, Warren, Westches-
 ter,  Suffolk,  Herkimer,  Franklin, Chemung, Schuyler, Yates, Delaware,
 Otsego or Schoharie county], provided that the  chief  administrator  of
 the  courts  has  authorized  the  use  of electronic appearance and the
 defendant, after consultation with counsel, consents on the record. Such
 consent shall be required at the commencement of each electronic appear-
 ance to such electronic appearance.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately, provided,  however,  that
 the  amendment to subdivision 1 of section 182.20 of the criminal proce-
 dure law made by section one of this act shall not affect the repeal  of
 such section and shall be deemed repealed therewith.
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09903-01-5

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