(Albany, NY)- State Senator John J. Bonacic (R/C/I-Mt. Hope) announced today that the New York State Senate has passed his bill, S.2052, to protect individuals in the workplace. The legislation, known as “Joanne’s Law”, amends the Labor Law by adding a new section 44, which requires that employers or workplaces be notified if former employees who were convicted of crimes that were committed in those workplaces are released from incarceration or violate their probation or parole.

This bill was created in response to a terrible tragedy from 2005 where an employee of a company who had been fired and later sentenced to 10 years probation returned to the office of his former employer and shot three managers.  One of the victims was Joanne O’Brien of Greenwood Lake, who later died of her injuries, and for who the law is named.  

“This tragedy could have been prevented had simple safeguards been put in place,” said Senator Bonacic. “Joanne’s Law would go a long way towards ensuring that these types of things never happen again.”