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History
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Notice of committee consideration - requested
- Referred to crime victims, crime and correction
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Requires the department of corrections and community supervision to place incarcerated parents at correctional institutions closest to their children's home
In Assembly Committee · Correction · Sponsor Naomi Rivera
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S6077
Title of bill
An act to amend the correction law, in relation to requiring the department of corrections and community supervision to place incarcerated parents at correctional institutions and facilities closest to their children's home
Purpose
Requires DOCCS to place persons in correctional facilities located in closest proximity to the primary place of residence of such person's minor child or children.
Summary of provisions
Amends section 158 of the correction law as, as added by chapter 788 of the laws of 1968, by designating the opening paragraph as subdivision 1, and adding two new subdivisions 2 and 3.
The new subdivision 2 requires the commissioner to place persons in correctional institutions or facilities located in closest proximity to where the inmate's minor child or children reside, provided such placement is appropriate and would facilitate increased contact between the person in prison inmate his/her child(ren), and is in the best interest of the child(ren).
The new subdivision 3 requires that DOCCS, in consultation with the office of probation and correctional alternatives as well as the office of children and family services, develop assessment procedures and criteria to determine whether proximity placement is in the best interest of the child(ren).
Justification
Over 100,000 children in New York State have at least one parent in state prison. Experts in the field of criminal justice generally agree that in the vast majority of cases, children who have a parent in prison benefit from being able to have personal contact and communication with them. Children and parents have indicated how important it is that they see each other, and research supports this. Consistent, ongoing contact reduces the strain of separation, lowers recidivism, and is the single most important factor in determining whether a family will reunify after a prison term. However, at present, a majority of individuals are being housed in facilities that are hours away from their children and families.
It is important that children maintain and increase their access to their parent(s) who are in prison. The criteria for deciding where individuals are housed, including decisions about transfers between facilities, should include proximity to children (after security, mental health, and medical needs).
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized to be made on or before such date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.