New York Correction Law Article 23 Sections 703-a and 703-b

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• New York Certificate of Good Conduct

Full New York Correction Law Article 23 Sections 703-a and 703-b

§ 703-a. Certificate of good conduct

1. A certificate of good conduct may be granted as provided in this section to relieve an individual of any disability, or to remove any bar to his employment, automatically imposed by law by reason of his conviction of the crime or of the offense specified therein. Such certificate may be limited to one or more enumerated disabilities or bars, or may relieve the individual of all disabilities and bars.

2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a conviction of a crime or of an offense specified in a certificate of good conduct shall not be deemed to be a conviction within the meaning of any provision of law that imposes, by reason of a conviction, a bar to any employment, a disability to exercise any right, or a disability to apply for or to receive any license, permit, or other authority or privilege covered by the certificate; and provided, however, that a conviction for a class A-I felony or a violent felony offense, as defined in subdivision one of section 70.02 of the penal law, shall impose a disability to apply for or receive a license or permit issued pursuant to section 400.00 of the penal law.

3. A certificate of good conduct shall not, however, in any way prevent any judicial administrative, licensing or other body, board or authority from considering the conviction specified therein in accordance with the provisions of article twenty-three-a of this chapter.

eff. Oct. 16, 2007.

§ 703-b. Issuance of certificate of good conduct

1. The department of corrections and community supervision shall have the power to issue a certificate of good conduct to any person previously convicted of a crime in this state, when the department is satisfied that:

(a) The applicant has conducted himself or herself in a manner warranting such issuance for a minimum period in accordance with the provisions of subdivision three of this section;

(b) The relief to be granted by the certificate is consistent with the rehabilitation of the applicant; and

(c) The relief to be granted is consistent with the public interest.

1. The department shall have the power to issue a certificate of good conduct to any person previously convicted of a crime in any other jurisdiction, when the department is satisfied that:

(a) The applicant has demonstrated that there exist specific facts and circumstances, and specific sections of New York state law that have an adverse impact on the applicant and warrant the application for relief to be made in New York; and

(b) The provisions of paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of subdivision one of this section have been met.

1. The minimum period of good conduct by the individual referred to in paragraph (a) of subdivision one of this section, shall be as follows: where the most serious crime of which the individual was convicted is a misdemeanor, the minimum period of good conduct shall be one year; where the most serious crime of which the individual was convicted is a class C, D or E felony, the minimum period of good conduct shall be three years; and, where the most serious crime of which the individual was convicted is a class B or A felony, the minimum period of good conduct shall be five years. Criminal acts committed outside the state shall be classified as acts committed within the state based on the maximum sentence that could have been imposed based upon such conviction pursuant to the laws of such foreign jurisdiction. Such minimum period of good conduct by the individual shall be measured either from the date of the payment of any fine imposed upon him or her or the suspension of sentence, or from the date of his or her unrevoked release from custody by parole, commutation or termination of his or her sentence. The department shall have power and it shall be its duty to investigate all persons when such application is made and to grant or deny the same within a reasonable time after the making of the application.

2. Where the department has issued a certificate of good conduct, the department may at any time issue a new certificate enlarging the relief previously granted.

3. Any certificate of good conduct by the department to an individual who at time of the issuance of the certificate is under the department's supervision, shall be deemed to be a temporary certificate until such time as the individual is discharged from the department's supervision, and, while temporary, such certificate may be revoked by the department for violation of the conditions of community supervision. Revocation shall be upon notice to the releasee, who shall be accorded an opportunity to explain the violation prior to decision thereon. If the certificate is not so revoked, it shall become a permanent certificate upon expiration or termination of the department's jurisdiction over the individual.

eff. March 31, 2011.