BILL NUMBER: S633
SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law and the state finance law, in relation
to establishing the New York state violence in mass media research
program
 
PURPOSE:
To establish well as mass reporting of reproduction stereotypes, perpe-
trators a program to better inform legislature in the state as media
companies on ways that existing mass media violent crime may either
glorify and encourage the of certain violent crimes, perpetuate harmful
negatively sway jurors, or violate the privacy of alleged of crime
before they are convicted.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill amends education law section 239-b to establish
the Violence in Mass Media Research Program within the Firearm Violence
Research Institute and states the goals of this program.
Section 2 of the bill relates to how the program will be funded.
Section 3 of the bill relates to the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Freedom of the press has been and remains one of the most important
factors which contributes to the liberty of the American people, as it
should be. In relation, the mass media can be a wonderful tool for
engendering public concern and amassing support for civil movements.
Journalistic practices surrounding the reporting of violent crimes are
often meant to generate maximum viewership without regard to their
impact on public safety, however, as is described by the slogan, "if it
bleeds, it leads" which perfectly encapsulates how easy it is to capi-
talize upon the macabre fascinations of the public. New York must lead
the way in determining what the best practices are for mass media
reporting on public safety and the privacy of suspected individuals.
Studies conducted by the Center for Disease Control and the National
Institute of Mental Health have linked the reporting from mass media on
certain violent crimes such as terrorism/ mass public violence, gang
violence, and serial killings to the proliferation of these crimes. The
National Institute of. Health has additionally published research on
the matter, citing the cogent FBI collaboration with the Advanced Law
Enforcement Rapid Response Training team's "Don't Name Them" Campaign as
well as the WHO's comparable published guidelines for reporting on
suicide. The attention given to perpetrators of such 'heinous crimes is
analogous to feeding oxygen to a flame. if there is no recognition of
their crime, no notoriety to be gained, experts understand this takes
away a major incentive. Displaying the names and faces of violent crimi-
nal suspects/ perpetrators is also often done by members of the mass
media in such a :way that may further a specific narrative on certain
groups of people, such as Black, brown, and/ or mentally ill persons,
which perpetuates negative stereotypes and profiling done by law
enforcement. Additionally, premature reporting on suspected criminals
has the potential to negatively sway jurors towards a guilty conviction
or to irreparably damage the reputation of an innocent person. This
action furthermore is contradictory towards the United States' principle
of innocent until proven guilty, which must be guarded. As freedom of
the press is something that New York, home to several of the most influ-
ential media outlets in not just the nation, but the world, takes grave-
ly seriously, enacting legislation that would in any way alter the way
reporting is done must be supported by copious research. This research
program would give state legislators, as well as media companies
nationwide looking to pioneer safer and more socially conscious prac-
tices a legitimate body of research to draw from to reform this industry
for the better.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2022: S9226
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law. Effective immediately, the action, amendment and/or repeal
of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act
on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed by the
commissioner of education on or before such effective date,

Statutes affected:
S633: 97-j state finance law, 97-j(5) state finance law