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Senate Bill S8551

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Creates the blue light emergency phones grant program

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

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2025-S8551 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Rules
Law Section:
Executive Law
Laws Affected:
Add §837-z, Exec L

2025-S8551 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Creates the blue light emergency phones grant program for the purpose of public safety; directs a study be conducted to report upon the impact of such program.

2025-S8551 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S8551 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8551
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             October 24, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  WEIK  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in  relation  to  creating  the  blue
   light emergency phones grant program
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section  837-z
 to read as follows:
   § 837-Z. BLUE LIGHT EMERGENCY PHONES PROGRAM. 1. WITHIN AMOUNTS APPRO-
 PRIATED  THEREFOR,  THE  DIVISION SHALL IMPLEMENT A BLUE LIGHT EMERGENCY
 PHONES GRANT PROGRAM FOR  THE  PURPOSE  OF  PUBLIC  SAFETY.  UNDER  SUCH
 PROGRAM,  THE DIVISION SHALL PROVIDE GRANTS TO MUNICIPALITIES TO INSTALL
 BLUE LIGHTED EMERGENCY PHONES THAT, WHEN USED, SHALL AUTOMATICALLY  DIAL
 9-1-1  AND  RING DIRECTLY TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. MUNICIPALITIES SHALL
 INSTALL SUCH BLUE LIGHT EMERGENCY  PHONES  IN  PUBLIC  PARKS  AND  OTHER
 PUBLIC AREAS WITH A HISTORY OF ILLICIT DRUG ACTIVITY OR OVERDOSES.
   2. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL CAUSE A STUDY TO BE PERFORMED TO ANALYZE HOW
 THE  IMPLEMENTATION  OF  THE  BLUE  LIGHT EMERGENCY PHONES GRANT PROGRAM
 IMPACTS PUBLIC SAFETY.
   3. EIGHTEEN MONTHS AFTER THE  EFFECTIVE  DATE  OF  THIS  SECTION,  THE
 COMMISSIONER  SHALL COMPLETE THE STUDY CONDUCTED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION
 TWO OF THIS SECTION AND SHALL THEREAFTER DELIVER A COPY OF THE  FINDINGS
 OF  THE STUDY AND ANY LEGISLATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS DEEMED TO BE NECESSARY
 TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, AND THE  SPEAKER
 OF THE ASSEMBLY.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law.
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13603-01-5

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