Election 2026

The November 3 election will reshape legislatures. Stay current on every seat, staff, and committee change with GovBuddy.

Stay Current
Home/Bills/S 969New York · 2025–2026 Legislative Session
Senate BillIntroducedPenal

S 969: Provides that a person may be charged with promoting a suicide or manslaughter if such person is convicted of endangering the welfare of a vulnerable elderly person, an incompetent or physically disabled person and the conduct was the proximate cause of the victim's suicide.

New York · Senate · 2025–2026 Legislative Session · last verified January 9, 2026

What S 969 does, verified January 9, 2026

The bill aims to strengthen laws related to promoting or assisting a suicide attempt. A person who intentionally causes or aids another to attempt suicide, or endangers the welfare of vulnerable individuals such as the elderly or disabled, can be charged with a class E felony. Additionally, the bill introduces a new charge for manslaughter in the second degree, which includes recklessly causing the death of another person, intentionally assisting a suicide, or endangering the welfare of vulnerable individuals, leading to their suicide. This new charge is a class C felony. The bill takes effect immediately.

Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: REFERRED TO CODES (2026-01-07)Alert me
Recent actions2 total · showing 2
Jan. 07, 2026REFERRED TO CODES
Jan. 08, 2025REFERRED TO CODES
Latest bill textIntroduced version, January 8, 2025 · 326 words
  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 969 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE (Prefiled) January 8, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. ROLISON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to penalties for promotion of a suicide attempt The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 120.30 of the penal law is amended to read as 2 follows: 3 § 120.30 Promoting a suicide attempt. 4 A person is guilty of promoting a suicide attempt when [he]: 5 (a) such person intentionally causes or aids another person to attempt 6 suicide; or 7 (b) such person endangers the welfare of an incompetent, a vulnerable 8 elderly person or a physically disabled person as set forth in section 9 260.25, 260.32 or 260.34 of this chapter and such conduct significantly 10 contributed to the victim's suicide attempt. 11 Promoting a suicide attempt is a class E felony. 12 § 2. Section 125.15 of the penal law is amended to read as follows: 13 § 125.15 Manslaughter in the second degree. 14 A person is guilty of manslaughter in the second degree when: 15 1. [He] Such person recklessly causes the death of another person; or 16 [3. He] 2. Such person intentionally causes or aids another person to 17 commit suicide; 18 3. Such person endangers the welfare of an incompetent, a vulnerable 19 elderly person, or a physically disabled person as set forth in section 20 260.25, 260.32 or 260.34 of this chapter and such conduct significantly 21 contributed to the victim's suicide. 22 Manslaughter in the second degree is a class C felony. 23 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD00304-01-5 
Text of S 969 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions
GovBuddy Demo

See how GovBuddy fits your team.

Share a few details and our team will follow up with a focused walkthrough.