Senate Codes Committee advances new adult "teal" missing-person alert; most criminal-justice bills fail to advance

At a Monday meeting of the New York State Senate Standing Committee on Codes, the committee voted to refer Senate Print 143 — a proposal to create a coordinated adult "teal" alert for missing adults ages 18–65 — to the Senate Committee on Social Services, while several other criminal-justice bills on bail, pretrial custody and vehicular offenses failed to advance out of committee.

The teal-alert bill, sponsored as Senate Print 143, was presented to the committee as a system modeled on existing Amber and Silver alert infrastructure to notify law enforcement and the public when an adult is reported missing and when law enforcement has had recent contact with the person. The sponsor said the proposal would use existing communications infrastructure and would have virtually no fiscal impact. The committee moved the bill for referral to the Committee on Social Services.

The meeting spent substantial time on bills that would alter bail and pretrial detention rules. Several high-profile measures — including proposals to restore judicial discretion to consider dangerousness in bail decisions and a separate Pretrial Risk Overview (the "Protect Act") that would require standardized risk assessment forms — did not receive the votes needed to move forward. Committee voting sheets recorded repeated tallies of 4 in the affirmative and 9 in the negative on multiple bills, and one bill received a 5–8 split.

Votes at a glance (by Senate Print number):

- Senate Print 143 (sponsor: Colombo). Establishes a coordinated law-enforcement adult "teal" alert for missing adults. Motion moved by Senator O'Mara and seconded by Senator Salazar; committee action: referred to the Committee on Social Services (recorded as referred in committee).

- Senate Print 236 (sponsor: Cantonari Fitzpatrick). Would restore judge discretion to consider dangerousness when setting bail. Motion moved by Senator Palumbo, seconded by Senator Murray; committee action: did not advance (voting sheets recorded 4 in the affirmative and 9 in the negative).

- Senate Print 307 (sponsor: Rhoads). Relates to bail for certain felony offenses involving opioids. Motion moved by Senator Palumbo, seconded by Senator O'Meara; committee action: did not advance (vote recorded as not in favor; final count reported as 4–9 on similar items).

- Senate Print 259 (sponsor: Martinez). Establishes crimes for criminal trespass on school buses, school grounds or children's camps. Motion moved by Senator Cuomo, seconded by Senator Bailey; committee action: reported (one member recorded as "without recommendation").

- Senate Print 628 (sponsor: not specified on the record). Adds transmission of unwanted lewd or intimate images to aggravated harassment in the second degree. Motion moved by Senator Prasad, seconded by Senator Bailey; committee action: reported (one member recorded as "without recommendation").

- Senate Print 1041 (sponsor: Colombo). Relates to arrest, prosecution, sentencing and penalties for offenses involving vehicular assault, manslaughter and operating a vehicle under the influence. Motion moved by Senator Murray, seconded by Senator Palumbo; committee sheets reflected a 4–9 split and the bill did not advance.

- Senate Print 1192 (sponsor: Adabo). Establishes an alternate resolution program for service members and veterans accused of certain felonies. Motion moved by Senator Bailey, seconded by Senator Salazar; committee action: reported (a small number of members recorded negative or without recommendation votes).

- Senate Print 1648 (sponsor: Oberopter). Authorizes bail for principals charged with aggravated cruelty to animals. Motion moved by Senator Marty, seconded by Senator Palumbo; committee action: did not advance (voting sheets recorded 4–9).

- Senate Print 1748 (sponsor: Martin). Authorizes bail and pretrial detention for certain arson felonies. Motion moved by Senator Murray, seconded by Senator Camara; committee action: did not advance (voting sheets recorded 4–9).

- Senate Print 2282A (sponsor: Hellman). The Pretrial Risk Overview for Threat Evaluation, Custody and Treatment ("Protect Act"), proposing a standardized assessment form developed by DCJS and a maximum 48-hour window for initial decisions. Motion moved by Senator O'Mara, seconded by Senator Palumbo; committee action: did not advance (voting sheets recorded 5 in the affirmative and 8 in the negative).

- Senate Print 3511 (sponsor: Borelli). Increases the maximum sentence for certain misdemeanors to one year. Motion moved by Senator Marais, seconded by Senator Murray (and Senator Palumbo); committee action: did not advance (voting sheets recorded 4–9).

- Senate Print 4406 (sponsor: May). Authorizes use of cloud-based closed-circuit television for vulnerable assault witnesses. Motion moved by Senator Briscoe, seconded by Senator Bailey; committee action: reported (a small number of members recorded without recommendation).

- Senate Print 4774 (sponsor: Chris Ryan). Includes a class E felony for vehicular assault in the second degree for causing serious physical injury while operating a vehicle with suspended, revoked, or no license. Motion moved by a sponsor's representative, seconded by Senator Bailey; committee action: reported (at least one negative recorded).

- Senate Print 7202 (sponsor: Hinchey). Establishes crimes for unlawful dissemination or publication of an intimate image in the first, second and third degree. Motion moved by Senator Palumbo, seconded by Senator Bailey; committee action: reported (one member recorded "without recommendation").

Committee discussion and context:

- Supporters of the proposed adult "teal" alert said the system would fill a gap between Amber and Silver alerts for people aged roughly 18–65 and would rely on existing alert infrastructure; sponsors characterized the measure as having minimal fiscal impact.

- Bills touching bail and pretrial custody prompted extended exchanges. Sponsors and supporters argued for tools to hold risky defendants in appropriate circumstances and for standardized tools to guide judges; opponents and dissenting members voted against advancing many of those proposals. The Protect Act discussion included a stated maximum 48-hour assessment window and direction that a standardized assessment form, if adopted, would be developed by the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS).

- Several bills were considered pursuant to Senate Rule 7, Section 2(e) (motion for committee consideration).

What happened next: Several measures were reported out of committee for further consideration by other Senate committees; multiple other bills did not receive enough affirmative committee votes to advance at this session. The committee chair closed the meeting following the final listed bill.