Overview

• On June 5 the Assembly approved Assembly Bill A.3516 by an 89-55 vote and the Senate passed Senate Bill S.416 by a 38-22 margin.
• The Keep Police Radio Public Act requires police departments to grant credentialed media and emergency services real-time access to encrypted radio feeds while exempting sensitive information.
• The NYPD began encrypting precinct, special operations and other frequencies in late 2023 as part of a nearly $1 billion upgrade aimed at officer safety and blocking criminals from exploiting transmissions.
• Supporters such as the New York Media Consortium and the News Guild of New York said encryption had hampered journalists’ ability to report breaking news and weakened public awareness.
• Once signed, state officials must develop detailed rules to balance transparency with the need to protect officer and victim privacy.