Relates to requiring municipalities, authorities and agencies to obtain liability insurance on each duly appointed police officer in an amount not less than $200,000.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6342
SPONSOR: Lucas TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to requiring
municipalities, authorities and agencies to obtain liability insurance
on each duly appointed police officer
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purposed legislation would require that police officers maintain
liability insurance to pay for civil cases and judgments.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one amends the general municipal law to require that police
officers maintain liability insurance in amount no less than $200,000.
The insurance is required to cover legal fees and judgments pertaining
to a civil rights violation.
Section two sets forth effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
During fiscal year 2019, the New York city paid out $175.9 million in
civil judgments and claims for police-related lawsuits. The amount paid
in the civil judgments and claims are taxpayer's money, which therefore
consistently allow bad police officer to engage in misconduct with impu-
nity. This bill will help to restore responsibility and accountability
to the police force.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A9993, 2024
2021-22: S.5966 - Referred to Local Government
2019-20: S8601 - REFERRED TO RULES
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6342
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 4, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. LUCAS -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Local Governments
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to requiring
municipalities, authorities and agencies to obtain liability insurance
on each duly appointed police officer
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new
2 section 52-a to read as follows:
3 § 52-a. Liability insurance for police officers. Each city, county,
4 town, village, authority or agency shall obtain and continuously main-
5 tain a policy of liability insurance on each duly appointed police offi-
6 cer of such municipality, authority or agency in an amount not less than
7 two hundred thousand dollars for covering civil rights violation claims
8 that arise from the performance of such officer's powers and duties.
9 Such insurance shall be used to pay any legal fees and/or judgments
10 associated with such claims.
11 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08252-01-5
