Nassau Standard

Assemblyman John Mikulin (R,C-Bethpage) expressed disappointment as a public safety proposal he championed, known as Assembly Bill A.7991 or the “Murder of a Minor” bill, was voted down by the Assembly Majority. Mikulin, who had strongly supported the bill, believed it would have imposed stricter penalties for child murder cases and contributed to enhancing the safety of children in New York state.

In his statement, Mikulin emphasized the necessity of ensuring accountability for individuals involved in child murder cases. He outlined the key components of his proposal, stating, "If a child is murdered, there must be laws in place that ensure the suspect involved is held accountable. My proposal, A.7991, would mandate that individuals convicted of aggravated murder, murder in the first degree, or murder in the second degree where the victims of such crimes are less than 18 years old be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole."

Mikulin firmly believed that implementing such measures would not only deliver justice to grieving families but also serve to safeguard other children within communities. Despite his impassioned plea, the Assembly Majority did not share his perspective on the bill. As a result, Assembly Bill A.7991 was referred to the Codes Committee, preventing it from progressing to a full Assembly vote at this time.