Overview

• Gov. Kathy Hochul announced plans to expand New York's involuntary commitment laws to address subway violence linked to untreated mental illness.
• Proposed changes include broadening the definition of harm to facilitate more involuntary commitments and improving court-ordered outpatient treatment under Kendra's Law.
• Hochul's proposals lack detailed specifics, with full legislation expected to be unveiled in her executive budget proposal on January 21.
• Critics argue the plans are vague, underfunded, and fail to address systemic issues like workforce shortages and inadequate mental health infrastructure.
• New York City Mayor Eric Adams praised the initiative but emphasized the need for robust implementation to prevent mentally ill individuals from cycling in and out of care.