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Read. Follow. Verify.New York bill S857 mandates risk and needs assessments for pre-trial release decisions
Last action · January 7, 2026: REFERRED TO CODESSponsors: Patrick Gallivan and 8 others
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What This Bill Would Do
Senate Bill 857 requires New York courts to request a risk and needs assessment from the applicable county pre-trial services agency before determining s or pre-trial release for defendants. The measure establishes criteria for these assessments and ensures that while courts must consider them, the assessments do not serve as the sole factor in release determinations.
Judges handling criminal cases must review standardized risk evaluations compiled by county agencies before deciding whether to release defendants or set bail, directly altering pre-trial release procedures across the state.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
defendants
Defendants are subject to mandatory risk and needs assessments conducted by county pre-trial services agencies which judges must consider when deciding pre-trial release and bail.
county pre-trial services agencies
County pre-trial services agencies are required to conduct risk and needs assessments when requested by the court for eligible defendants.
New York courts
Judges are required to request risk and needs assessments and account for them on the record when issuing securing orders.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 'risk and needs assessment' under this bill?
Can a judge use the risk and needs assessment as the sole reason to keep someone in custody?
Are defendants allowed to see the risk and needs assessment used in their case?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
2 actions- Jan 7, 2026SenateCommitteeREFERRED TO CODES
- Jan 8, 2025SenateCommitteeREFERRED TO CODES
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Introduction of Mandatory Pre-Trial Risk Evaluations
The bill shifts New York's statutory framework by explicitly linking court release and securing order decisions to structured risk and needs assessments performed by county agencies.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.nysenate.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy80Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz45Current news / social attention level
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