Establishes application processing and review requirements for reprieves, commutations and pardons

Latest action May 5, 2026

Establishes application processing and review requirements for reprieves, commutations and pardons by the governor; requires the governor to provide: a written notification that the application has been received; a receipt number that the applicant can then use to check on the applicant's application status; guidelines for supplementing the application with additional or updated information; and a notification when a decision is made on the application; requires quarterly reports to the legislature regarding reprieves, commutations and pardons.

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Where it stands

Out of committee and scheduled for a vote by the full chamber.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

New York State Senate

Same as A403, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Amends the Executive Law.

Committee

Crime Victims, Crime And Correction · New York State Senate

Also referred to Governmental Operations · New York State Assembly.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

To amend the Executive Law, in relation to establishing application processing and review requirements for reprieves, commutations, and pardons.

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

Recorded votes

Vote: Committee vote · Crime Victims, Crime And Correction
Senate Crime Victims, Crime And CorrectionMay 5, 2026Result: passed
(5) (2) (0) (0)
Vote: Committee vote · Crime Victims, Crime And Correction
Senate Crime Victims, Crime And CorrectionApr 8, 2025Result: passed
(5) (2) (0) (0)

Cosponsors

Al Taylor, Albert A. Stirpe and 53 more on Agora

Democratic55

See the full list on nysenate.gov

The sponsor's argument

Why Zellnor Myrie says this is needed

The United States continues to aggressively incarcerate and deport people, primarily people of color, at record rates. Approximately 9,000 individuals are serving life sentences in severely overcrowded and poor- ly maintained institutions. Families, and the communities in which they reside, become emotionally and financially destabilized with the perma- nent loss of one of their own to the criminal justice system. Yet, lead- ers are still hesitant to use reprieves, commutations, and pardons as tools to reduce the strain on the system. From 2017 to 2020, New York's governor received 6,405 clemency applications but only granted 81 pardons and 14 commutations. The clemency process is also difficult to navigate and currently does not provide applicants with status updates or the opportunity to expedite a decision when needed. This bill would reduce the systemic injustice the clemency process currently perpetuates by increasing transparency and accessibility.

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.

Full history

May 5, 2026
Reported out of committee
REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
NY Senate
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTION
NY Senate
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS
NY Assembly
Apr 8, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
NY Senate
Jan 8, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTION
NY Senate

Show full history (1 earlier event)

Jan 8, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS
NY Assembly

About this record

Summary: The summary comes from NY Open Legislation, the New York State Senate's public record. For more, see How we handle summaries.
Cosponsors: The list shows the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.
Party colors: Parties are shown in the same neutral colors.
Source: From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 30, 2026. About our data

Read the record

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.

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