NY A00363

Creates a legal presumption that a crime victim who commits suicide within two years after the crime died as a direct result of that crime, making their survivors eligible for victim compensation awards

Allows the Office of Victim Services to override this presumption only if it determines the suicide was not in any way related to being a crime victim

Requires the office to disregard the victim's responsibility for their own injury (suicide) when awarding compensation, removing a potential barrier to family members receiving benefits

Expands the categories of eligible claimants to include surviving family members of crime victims who died by suicide within the two-year window

Takes effect immediately upon enactment