NY Governor Cuomo Seeks to Pass 911 False Accusation Bill

According to The New York Post, Governor Andrew Cuomo proposes state lawmakers pass a bill that would make it a hate crime when 911 callers create false accusations predicated on race, gender or religion. The legislation was created in 2018, supported by Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (D-Brooklyn) and reintroduced last month by an occurrence that went viral in Central Park involving Amy Cooper, who called the police on a black man after a minor argument concerning her dog.

Ortiz stated that violators could face anywhere from one to five years in prison, in conjunction with the state's hate crime statute "if the motivation for reporting such crime is motivated by perception or belief about their race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation."

Cuomo supports additional measures in the legislative agenda, which include:

• Reforming the controversial 50-a section of the civil rights law allowing for transparency on prior disciplinary records of law enforcement officers

• Banning choke-hold usage by law enforcement

• Naming the attorney general independent prosecutor for cases concerning deaths of unarmed civilians caused by law enforcement

Last Friday evening, lawmakers in the state Senate and Assembly held a meeting via phone and video regarding negotiations.

Photo Credit: The New York Post