BILL NUMBER: S8848
SPONSOR: LIU
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the judiciary law, in relation to enacting the "Clock
Should Stop Act"
 
PURPOSE:
To require the New York State Board of Law Examiners to adopt emergency
protocols-including stopping the exam clock and offering accommodations
when emergencies arise before or during the bar exam, in order to
protect examinee welfare and uphold the fairness and integrity of the
examination process.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
This bill adds a new section (§ 460-a) to the judiciary law requiring
the Board of Law Examiners to:
*Develop protocols for addressing emergencies that occur immediately
before or during the bar examination, including during scheduled breaks.
*Provide testing accommodations for examinees who are the subject of,
witness to, or affected by such emergencies.
*Define qualifying emergencies to include medical crises, criminal inci-
dents, and natural or man-made disasters.
*Require immediate medical assistance, permit the use of cell phones by
proctors in emergencies, and mandate an immediate pause of the exam
timer.
*Allow affected examinees additional time, exam credit for completed
portions, or a no-cost retake within six months.
*Limit examinees to one testing accommodation under this section.
*Direct the Board to submit an annual report on the number and type of
testing accommodations granted under this law.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
On July 30, 2025, during the administration of the New York State bar
exam at Hofstra University, a young woman suffered a serious medical
emergency, a heart attack. Reports indicate a delay in medical response
and, notably, that the exam was not paused during the incident-raising
concerns about examinee safety, mental distress, and fairness to all
present.
The bar exam is a high-pressure, career-determining test. Yet, unlike
most professional or academic settings, current protocols offer no
relief or guidance in the event of real-time emergencies. This bill
acknowledges that unexpected, life-threatening, or traumatic events may
arise during exam administration, and it mandates reasonable, humane
responses that protect examinees without compromising the exam's rigor
or integrity. Additionally, the examiners must stop the clock.
The legal profession is rooted in fairness, justice, and due process -
values that should be evident not only in the courtroom but also in the
systems that license those who serve in it. The "Clock Should Stop Act"
ensures our examination processes reflect those values.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect 90 days after becoming law and shall apply to
all bar examinations administered on or after that date.