What's happening
This bill requires legislative approval before any correctional facility or institution in New York can be closed.
Why it matters
Shifts Power Over Prison Closures. By requiring legislative approval, the bill transfers significant decision-making authority over prison closures from the executive branch (the Department of Corrections) to lawmakers, increasing political oversight and potentially slowing or blocking closures.
Mandates Transparency and Justification. The department must provide a detailed written report justifying any proposed closure at least one year in advance, giving the public and legislators time to scrutinize the rationale and demand more information if necessary.
Potential Impact on Local Economies and Communities. Correctional facilities are often major employers and economic anchors in certain regions; requiring legislative approval could make it harder to close facilities, potentially preserving local jobs and economic stability, but also delaying reforms or cost-saving measures.
Sets a Precedent for Legislative Involvement in Administrative Actions. This bill could encourage similar legislative checks over other types of state facility closures, highlighting a broader shift toward legislative control over executive decisions in state operations.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Legislature to Approve Prison Closures
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
8 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Held for consideration in correction
- Referred to correction
- Referred to 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.
Legislature Must Approve Prison Closures
In Senate Committee · Finance · Sponsor Kathleen A. Marchione
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8152
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 31, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ORTIZ -- read once and referred to the Committee on Correction
AN ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to requiring legislative approval for the closure of correctional facilities and institutions
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The correction law is amended by adding a new section 30 to read as follows:
§ 30. Closure of correctional facilities. The department shall submit a written report to the legislature at least three hundred sixty-five days prior to the date the department is seeking closure of any correctional facility or institution. Such report shall include justification for the proposed closure. The legislature may require any additional information or data that it deems necessary in such report. If the legislature, or the appropriate committees thereof, upon review of the report submitted to it by the department, finds that the proposed closure is not justified then closure shall not occur until approved by a majority vote of each house of the legislature.
§ 2. Severability. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part of this act shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part thereof directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day 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 are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03006-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.