Senator Rachel May announced the passage of legislation (S4389) to create more practical color vision standards for law enforcement candidates in New York State. The bill establishes an alternative pathway for applicants with color vision deficiencies who can demonstrate through practical field testing that they are capable of safely performing essential police duties. 

“New York’s current standards rely on testing methods that can disqualify candidates before they ever have the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to do the job,” said Senator Rachel May. “This bill creates a fairer and more practical process by focusing on whether applicants can safely perform essential police duties, rather than automatically excluding people based on a clinical screening test alone.”      

Current standards require law enforcement agencies to rely on standardized clinical screening tests that automatically disqualify applicants with color vision deficiencies, regardless of whether they can distinguish colors in real-world situations. Senator May’s legislation would allow candidates to demonstrate their abilities through practical testing and would focus disqualification standards on only the most severe color vision deficiencies that would prevent someone from carrying out regular police duties.