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Home/Bills/A 1471New York · 2025–2026 Legislative Session
Assembly BillIntroduced

A 1471: Allows for written instructions regarding elements to be supplied to a jury.

New York · Assembly · 2025–2026 Legislative Session · last verified January 8, 2026

What A 1471 does, verified January 8, 2026

The bill proposes to amend the Criminal Procedure Law to provide juries with the right to request further instruction or information during deliberations. Juries can request clarification on the law, trial evidence, or other matters pertinent to their consideration of the case. In response to the request, the court must direct the jury to return to the courtroom and provide the requested information or instruction, with notice to both the prosecution and the defense. Additionally, the court may provide the jury with copies of relevant statutes and written instructions on the elements of an offense or defense, with an opportunity for counsel to examine and hear their concerns. These changes aim to enhance the transparency and fairness of the jury deliberation process.

Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: referred to codes (2026-01-07)Alert me
Author and sponsors
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Coauthors
Stefani ZinermanPhil SteckCatalina CruzMaritza DavilaJoe DeStefanoSteven Raga
Recent actions2 total · showing 2
Jan. 07, 2026referred to codes
Jan. 09, 2025referred to codes
Latest bill textIntroduced version, January 9, 2025 · 454 words
  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1471 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY January 9, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. SIMON, ZINERMAN, STECK, CRUZ, DAVILA, DeSTEFANO, RAGA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes AN ACT to amend the criminal procedure law, in relation to jury deliber- ations The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Tiarah 2 Poyau Act". 3 § 2. Section 310.30 of the criminal procedure law, as amended by chap- 4 ter 208 of the laws of 1980, is amended to read as follows: 5 § 310.30 Jury deliberation; request for information. 6 At any time during its deliberation, the jury may request the court 7 for further instruction or information with respect to the law, with 8 respect to the content or substance of any trial evidence, or with 9 respect to any other matter pertinent to the jury's consideration of the 10 case. Upon such a request, the court must direct that the jury be 11 returned to the courtroom and, after notice to both the people and coun- 12 sel for the defendant, and in the presence of the defendant, must give 13 such requested information or instruction as the court deems proper. 14 With the consent of the parties and upon the request of the jury for 15 further instruction with respect to a statute, the court may also give 16 to the jury copies of the text of any statute which, in its discretion, 17 the court deems proper. In addition, where the jury requests written 18 instructions regarding the elements of any offense submitted, or of any 19 defense or affirmative defense submitted in relation thereto, the court 20 may provide the jury with such written instructions as the jury has 21 requested and any other written instruction relevant to the instructions 22 requested by the jury that the court deems proper. Before giving to the 23 jury such written instructions regarding the elements of any offense or 24 of any defense or affirmative defense pursuant to this section, the 25 court shall permit counsel to examine such written instructions, shall EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD00079-02-5 

 A. 1471 2 1 afford counsel an opportunity to be heard, shall mark such written 2 instructions as a court exhibit and shall read the instructions to the 3 jury. 4 § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after 5 it shall have become a law. 

Text of A 1471 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions
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