BILL NUMBER: S4757
SPONSOR: BAILEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing an opera-
tion SNUG program which provides grant awards to reduce, prevent or
respond to gun violence
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To ensure continued support for New York State's SNUG program, which
provides programs and services that aim to reduce, prevent or respond to
gun violence.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill amends the executive law by adding a new section
837 that codifies the Operation SNUG program.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
New York State's SNUG program engages the highest-risk individuals who
are causing violence in communities with high rates of violent crime,
addresses the issues that may be causing high-risk individuals to engage
in gun violence, and shares with the community how violence is spread.
SNUG seeks to modify an existing norm of community acceptance of violent
behavior by engaging residents, businesses and community-based organiza-
tions to implement coordinated strategies to reduce and prevent shoot-
ings and killings. SNUG employs Street Outreach Workers who live in the
communities in which they serve and are able leverage their community
ties in their work.
The Division of Criminal and Justice Services currently administers SNUG
in 14 communities across New York State: Albany, Bronx, Poughkeepsie,
Buffalo, Rochester, Hempstead, Syracuse, Newburgh, Niagara Falls, Troy,
Utica, Wyandanch, Yonkers and Mt. Vernon. This bill would codify the
existing program to ensure adequate funding is available in the state
budget to address gun violence, increase funding for existing sites and
provide additional funding to expand SNUG programs to more localities
throughout the state.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 2021-22: Passed Senate
2023-24: Passed Senate
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
This bill mandates that the governor include an annual appropriation of
at least $30 million in the executive budget to support operation SNUG
program grants.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding the
date on which it shall have become a law.