A.1517, Anti-Bias Education Act (A. McKnight) (New Jersey)
This bill requires school districts to provide anti-bias instruction as part of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education and requires school districts to designate a chief equity officer.
S.250 / A.1010, Restorative and Transformative Justice for Youths and Communities Pilot Program (A. Reynolds-Jackson) (New Jersey) This bill would ensure that the pilot program to create restorative justice hubs and enhanced reentry services for young people being released from New Jersey’s youth prisons also be implemented in Jersey City, and increases the appropriation by $2 million to find this program.
HATE AND EXTREMISM
A.1084, An Act Expanding Crime of Bias Intimidation (A. Schaer) (New Jersey)
This bill expands New Jersey’s definition of bias intimidation by adding three new underlying offenses (including cyberhate offenses), ensures that New Jersey law covers “mixed motive” hate crimes and “associational” hate crimes, and strengthens civil remedies available to victims of hate and extremism.
VOTING RIGHTS
S.247 / A.1966, Same Day Voter Registration (S. Cunningham / A. Mukherji) (New Jersey)
This bill reduces the standard voter registration deadline to eight days before the election and allows voter registration at polling places on election day and at offices where mail-in ballots are issued within 45 days before election.
CRIMINAL LAW REFORM
A.1370, Establishes Crime of Strangulation Chokehold (A. Wimberly) (New Jersey)
This bill establishes the crime of strangulation chokehold, applicable to various law enforcement personnel, and classifies this crime as a crime of the first degree.
S.386 / A.938, Establishes New Jersey Reparations Task Force (S. Rice / A. Sumter) (New Jersey)
This bill establishes the “New Jersey Reparations Task Force” to study and develop reparations proposals for African-Americans in the State, including what remedies should be awarded, through what instrumentalities, and to whom those remedies should be awarded.
SR11 / AR53, Declares Racism A Public Health Crisis in New Jersey (A. McKnight / S. Rice) (New Jersey)
This resolution would acknowledge the prevalence of systemic racism, racism’s role as a driver of health inequity, and the detrimental effects that racism has on New Jersey residents, and declare racism as a public health crisis in New Jersey.
A.977, Eliminates Past Conviction of Indictable Offense as Disqualifier for Jury Service (A. Reynolds-Jackson) (New Jersey)
This bill removes the requirement that jurors must not have been convicted of an indictable offense in order to serve on a jury in New Jersey.
IMMIGRATION
S.512 / A.1986, Values Act (Sponsors: A. Mukherji) (New Jersey)
The Values Act would codify and strengthen the separation between local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement (as currently outlined in the New Jersey’s Immigrant Trust Directive) and lay the groundwork for similar protections for people who interact with other state and local agencies, such as those providing social services.
NEW YORK 2022 PRIORITIES
EDUCATION
S.121A / A.472, Holocaust Education (S. Kaplan / A. Rozic) (New York)
This bill requires the commissioner of education to conduct a study identifying which school districts currently offer courses on the Holocaust. The commissioner shall then put forward recommendations to ensure that instruction on the Holocaust is provided to all schools in compliance with New York law.
HATE AND EXTREMISM
S.7807 / A.8701, An Act Relating to the Hate Crimes Analysis and Review Act (S. Hoylman / A. Reyes) (New York)
This bill directs the division of criminal justice services to promulgate regulations regarding the methods and timing of collecting the demographic data of both victims and perpetrators of hate crimes. The bill also clarifies that the data collected is for research purposes only and cannot be used in future proceedings.
A.393, An Act Relating to Establishing an Interagency Task Force on Hate Crimes and Domestic Terrorism (A. Zebrowski) (New York)
This bill requires the convening of a diverse coalition of experts to study the nature and extent of hate crimes and domestic terrorism in the state and issue recommendations regarding how state and local prevention efforts can be strengthened.
CRIMINAL LAW REFORM
S.1553C / A.6399B, Clean Slate NY (S. Myrie / A. Cruz) (New York) This bill automatically clears a New Yorker’s conviction record once they become eligible, ensuring that New Yorkers are not punished beyond their sentences and prevented from accessing stable jobs, licenses to practice trades, and safe, secure housing.
S.1415A / A.4231, Fair and Timely Parole (S. Rivera) (New York)
This bill provides that the Board of Parole must release incarcerated persons who are eligible for release on parole, unless such persons present a current and unreasonable risk that cannot be mitigated by parole supervision.
IMMIGRATION
S.3076 / A.2328, The New York for All Act (S. Salazar / A. Reyes) (New York)
This bill will broadly prohibit state and local law enforcement officers from enforcing federal immigration laws and sharing sensitive information with ICE. It also prohibits ICE from entering non-public areas of state and local property without a judicial warrant. Finally, it ensures that people in custody are given notice of their rights before being interviewed by ICE, and starts the process of limiting ICE access to state information databases.
S.81A/ A.1961, Access to Representation Act (S. Hoylman / A. Cruz) (New York)
This bill would support strong and stable communities and promote fairness and dignity by establishing a right to a government-funded lawyer for people at risk of deportation.
LGBTQ+ EQUITY
S.6677 / A.7001B, Gender Identity Respect, Dignity, and Safety Act (S. Salazar / A. Rozic) (New York)
This bill requires that incarcerated people in state and local facilities be addressed and have access to commissary items, clothing and other materials consistent with their gender identity; and be placed in facilities with persons who share their gender identity, unless they opt out.
S.369 / A.840, Transgender & Non-Binary Anti-Discrimination Requirements in Schools (S. Hoylman / A. Gottfried) (New York)
This bill requires the board of education and the trustees or sole trustee of every school district to establish policies and procedures regarding the treatment of transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming students.
VOTING RIGHTS
S.1046 / A.6678, The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York (S. Myrie / A. Walker) (New York)
This bill will address long-overlooked infringements on the right to vote and tackle voting rights discrimination through a comprehensive framework that includes legal tools to fight voter suppression, the establishment of a preclearance program to avoid discrimination, expanded language assistance, and protections against voter intimidation, among other provisions.
S.2951 / A.8858, An Act to Amend the Election Law, in Relation to Voter Registration (S. Kavanagh / A. Carroll) (New York)
This bill would lower New York’s voter registration deadline from 25 days to the current state constitutional limit of 10 days, entitling the voter to vote in a primary, general or special election where their registration is received at least 10 days prior.
S.3073 / A.6646, Restoration of Voting Rights to Currently Incarcerated Citizens (S. Salazar / A. Epstein) (New York)
This proposed amendment eliminates an impediment to the creation of a system whereby people with felony convictions and incarcerated people can vote while incarcerated. In addition, the amendment creates an affirmative right for incarcerated individuals in correctional facilities to vote.
S.4658 / A.454A, Allow Poll Sites on New York College Campuses (S. Parker / A. Rozic) (New York)
If there are 300 or more voter registrants on a college campus, this bill will ensure a polling site on campus or at a location approved by the university.
S.284 / A.642B, An Act to Amend the Election Law, in Relation to Counting of Affidavit Ballots (S. Myrie / A. Carroll) (New York)
Reforming the “wrong church” ballot disqualification law, this bill will allow eligible ballots to be cast and counted when a voter appears at a polling place in the correct county but in the incorrect election district.
