BILL NUMBER: S8312
SPONSOR: HINCHEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the criminal procedure law, in relation to the removal
of actions to certain courts in an adjoining county
 
PURPOSE:
To enable cases to be transferred to mental health courts in adjoining
counties from counties that do not have mental health courts.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one amends section 230.21 of the criminal procedure law to allow
criminal cases to be transferred to a mental health court in an adjoin-
ing county.
Section two establishes the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Twenty-six counties in New York state have at least one mental health
court. This bill seeks to allow cases to be transferred with the consent
of the district attorneys of both counties to an adjoining county with a
mental health court when the county where the case is brought does not
have a mental health court within the county.
The intent is to increase access to mental health treatment similar to
the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program in Albany County.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Unknown
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S8312: 230.21 criminal procedure law