Legislation Details

File #: Int 0311-2026    Version: * Name: Requiring the police department’s property clerk to look for a claimant’s identification in seized property upon request.
Type: Introduction Status: Committee
Committee: Committee on Public Safety
On agenda: 1/29/2026
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the police department's property clerk to look for a claimant's identification in seized property upon request
Sponsors: Darlene Mealy, Chris Banks, Shahana K. Hanif, Farah N. Louis, Virginia Maloney , Gale A. Brewer, Lynn C. Schulman, Phil Wong , Crystal Hudson, Yusef Salaam, Christopher Marte, Harvey D. Epstein, Eric Dinowitz, Mercedes Narcisse, Kevin C. Riley, Althea V. Stevens, Shirley Aldebol, Joann Ariola , Frank Morano
Council Member Sponsors: 19
Summary: This bill would require the Police Department’s Property Clerk to search seized property for identification upon request of a claimant. Proper identification is required to redeem property that has been seized pursuant to an arrest. This bill would allow claimants to request that the Property Clerk look for identification within the property, such as a wallet, purse, or book bag. Claimants would be required to present a property voucher issued by the Police Department before the Property Clerk is required search the property.
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 311, 2. Int. No. 311, 3. January 29, 2026 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 4. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 1-29-26

Int. No. 311

 

By Council Members Mealy, Banks, Hanif, Louis, Maloney, Brewer, Schulman, Wong, Hudson, Salaam, Marte, Epstein, Dinowitz, Narcisse, Riley, Stevens, Aldebol, Ariola and Morano

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the police department’s property clerk to look for a claimant’s identification in seized property upon request

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Section 14-140 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new subdivision l to read as follows:

l. Identification. Where a claimant attempts to claim property that is in the custody of the property clerk but fails to present valid identification as required by rules of the department, the property clerk shall search the property to be claimed for the owner’s identification, provided that the claimant first:

1. Presents a voucher for such property issued by the department at the time of seizure; and

2. Asserts that the requisite means of identification is among the property to be claimed and requests that the property clerk search such property for the owner’s identification.

§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.

 

 

NAB

LS #2175

Int. #0327-2024

1/8/2026 2:53 PM