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Senate bill · S10604 (2025-26)

Provides additional protection to judges and their family members under the Judicial Security Act

PassedLatest action Jun 2, 2026

New York State Senate

Same as A11388, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Passed as A11388, the matching Assembly bill.

Sponsor

Luis R. Sepúlveda

State Senator, District 32 · Democratic

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Summary

Provides additional protection to judges and their family members under the Judicial Security Act; expands protection to domestic partners and adult children; relates to records to be kept private; relates to the continuation of the prohibition against the public disclosure of personal information; authorizes the chief administrator of the courts to develop procedures necessary to prevent the disclosure of personal information in the possession of the unified court system.

Summary from NY Open Legislation. How we handle summaries

Amends the Judiciary Law.

From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 23, 2026. About our data

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Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

Section 1 of the bill amends the Judicial Security Act to include domes- tic partners and former domestic partners within the definition of "immediate family," and to include as protected "personal information" the identity of all children, regardless of their age. Section 2 of the bill provides that, in their written request to protect personal information from disclosure, the judge should identify, if known, the specific records containing that information and the place where such information is located. Section 3 of the bill allows email as an additional method of notifying entities that they must cease making public the personal information of an eligible individual. Section 4 of the bill clarifies that, for the purposes of the Judicial Security Act, the Chief Administrative Judge is the "employer" of State- paid judges, and provides that shielding of the residential addresses of a judge's family member requires that family member's consent. Section 5 of the bill permits a judge to temporarily authorize the release of personal information, and permits the prohibition against disclosure to be rescinded by the judge or the estate of a deceased judge, or by a court order. Section 6 authorizes the Chief Administrative Judge to develop proce- dures to prevent the disclosure of personal information in the possession of the UCS. Section 7 of the bill provides that it shall take effect immediately. 5.

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Where it stands

Passed the legislature and is awaiting a signature.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Up for a vote
  4. Passed one chamber
  5. Passed
  6. Enacted

Committee

Judiciary · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Judiciary · New York State Senate, Rules · New York State Assembly, Rules · New York State Senate.

The sponsor's argument

Why Luis R. Sepúlveda says this is needed

The Judicial Security Act was enacted in 2024. It strengthened the safe- ty and security of state and federal judges in New York by protecting their personally identifiable information, including addresses, informa- tion about family members, and financial data, from public view. As the legislation has been implemented, several gaps in the law have been identified that need to be addressed. First, the current law allows judges to protect the identity of their spouses and minor children, but not their domestic partners or their children who have reached the age of 18. This bill closes that gap in the law. Second, the law currently provides that judges should submit requests for protection of their personal information to their "employer." This proposal clarifies that the Chief Administrative Judge is the "employer" of State-paid judges for these purposes. Third, the bill adds language providing that the Chief Administrative Judge may promulgate rules and procedures consistent with the statute to prevent disclosure of personal information in the possession of the UCS. Additionally, county clerks have raised concerns about the current law, noting that they maintain voluminous records (property records, court records, etc.), and being told to shield personal information about a judge and the judge's family members does not provide them with a suffi- cient basis for determining where that information might be located. In order to address this concern, this proposal adds language providing that if judges know what records contain personal information, they should provide such information when making a request. Moreover, the bill provides that a notice seeking nondisclosure of personal informa- tion may be transmitted by electronic mail or other means reasonably determined to provide notice, as many online entities do not provide a physical address where they can be contacted. Finally, the current statute prohibits disclosure of personal informa- tion permanently, does not allow the judge to voluntarily authorize the release of information, and does not authorize lifting the prohibition after the judge's death. This proposal would allow disclosure of personal information based on a notarized letter from the eligible indi- vidual providing a release from the prohibition for a limited period or purpose or withdrawing the request in its entirety, or a court order authorizing the release of the personal information, or, upon the death of an eligible individual, an authorization to release personal informa- tion received from the court-appointed representative of the individ- ual's estate. 6.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Recorded votes

  • Vote: Committee vote · Rules

    Senate RulesJun 2, 2026Result: passed

    (19) (1) (0) (1)

  • Vote: Floor vote

    NY SenateJun 2, 2026Result: passedSenate vote on A11388, the matching Assembly bill.

    (60) (1) (0) (2)

Full history

  1. Jun 2, 2026

    3RD Reading CAL.1601

    3RD READING CAL.1601

    NY Senate

  2. Jun 2, 2026

    In committee

    COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES

    NY Senate

  3. Jun 2, 2026

    Sent to the executive

    DELIVERED TO SENATE

    NY Assembly

  4. Jun 2, 2026

    Passed a chamber

    PASSED ASSEMBLY

    NY Assembly

  5. Jun 2, 2026

    Passed a chamber

    PASSED SENATE

    NY Senate

Show full history (7 earlier events)
  1. Jun 2, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO RULES

    NY Senate

  2. Jun 2, 2026

    Reported out of committee

    REPORTED REFERRED TO RULES

    NY Assembly

  3. Jun 2, 2026

    Rules Report CAL.378

    RULES REPORT CAL.378

    NY Assembly

  4. Jun 2, 2026

    Substituted

    SUBSTITUTED FOR S10604

    NY Senate

  5. Jun 1, 2026

    Reference Changed to Ways and Means

    REFERENCE CHANGED TO WAYS AND MEANS

    NY Assembly

  6. May 29, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO JUDICIARY

    NY Senate

  7. May 15, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO JUDICIARY

    NY Assembly