NYS Senate Passes Croci’s Legislation To Create Historic First-Ever State Terrorist Registry Proposed to Protect the Number One Terrorist Target in the United States – New York
(Long Island, NY) The New York State Senate is the first legislative body in the United States to pass legislation creating a Terrorist Registry, sponsored by Senator Thomas D. Croci (R-Sayville) and Assemblyman Michael Dendekker (D-Jackson Heights). The Senate approved the measure in a bipartisan vote (Senate bill S3464B;/Assembly bill A6129B).
“The cascading deterioration of the security situation overseas and the growing number of attacks at home, law enforcement and New Yorkers are not being unreasonable in demanding convicted terrorists be registered,” said Senator Croci. “CNN recently reported that FBI Director James Coney has asked state and local law enforcement to help the FBI keep tabs on hundreds of individuals. We must give our police agencies every tool we can. You should know if the person living next door is a convicted terrorist, as we have successfully done with sex offenders.”
This legislation would:
- Create the NYS Terrorist Registry, which is based on New York’s highly successful Sex Offender Registration Act, and will allow our state and local law enforcement to monitor any terrorist residing, working or attending an educational institution in our state.
- Require individuals convicted of terrorism to be added to the registry by the Division of Criminal Justice Services. DCJS will create and publicize the registry list, making only non-confidential information available to the public and confidential information only available to certain government agencies such as the state police and NYS Homeland Security.
- Change the current law to allow for local and state law enforcement to monitor individuals who have been convicted of a state or federal crime of terrorism, or who have committed a verifiable act of terrorism outside our state.
- Require individuals convicted of terrorism to register with local authorities when moving to a new residence.
- Make noncompliance of registration a class A-1 felony for those convicted of terrorism.
This bill was drafted in response to the identified need for a centralized state tracking system to assist law enforcement agencies with monitoring the individuals associated with carrying out domestic and foreign terrorist threats, as evidenced by the surge in homegrown acts of terror and the growing recruitment of terrorist sympathizers by terrorist groups such as ISIS. The need for this legislation is further demonstrated by the FBI’s recent appeal for assistance from local law enforcement and the public in helping to keep track of suspected terrorists.
This bill is currently in the Senate and Assembly, where it is hoped that immediate action will be taken to approve this legislation before the end of session.
All media inquiries should be directed to Senator Croci’s Communications Specialist, Christine Geed at (631) 398-8044 (call or text) or via email at geed@nysenate.gov. Inquiries for additional information should be directed to Senator Croci’s Press Secretary, Jennifer Freeman Romero at (631) 513-5657 or via email at jfreeman@nysenate.gov.
