What's happening
This bill requires that female inmates in New York State correctional facilities receive rehabilitation programs equivalent to those provided to male inmates.
Why it matters
Addresses gender equity in prison rehabilitation. by mandating that women incarcerated in state facilities have access to the same types and quality of rehabilitation programs—such as vocational, academic, and industrial training—as men, aiming to correct longstanding disparities.
Could impact reentry success and reduce recidivism. for female inmates, as access to robust rehabilitation programs has been linked to better post-release employment prospects and lower rates of returning to prison.
Requires institutional and budgetary adjustments. , meaning correctional facilities may need to develop or expand programming for women, potentially leading to increased funding or reallocation of resources.
Empowers oversight and accountability. by making it the explicit duty of facility leadership to ensure program equivalence, which could lead to closer scrutiny of existing offerings and more transparent reporting on correctional practices.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Equal Rehab for Female Inmates
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Approval memo.8
- Signed chap.379
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.75
- Substituted for A2534
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.1870
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
Show 2 earlier actions
- Reported and committed to finance
- 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.
Equal Rehab for Women Inmates
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Nily Rozic
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3498
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 23, 2017
Introduced by Sens. BAILEY, AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction
AN ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to assuring rehabilitation programs for female inmates are equivalent to programs afforded male inmates
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 114 to read as follows:
§ 114. Rehabilitation programs for women; to be commensurate to those afforded men. In any state correctional facility in which women are detained it shall be the duty of the warden or the chief administrative officer of such facility to assure that such women be provided equivalent programs of rehabilitation, including but not limited to vocational, academic and industrial programs, within the appropriation made therefor, as are provided to male inmates of correctional facilities elsewhere in the state.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law; provided that the commissioner of corrections and community supervision is authorized to promulgate any and all rules and regulations and take any other measures necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its effective date on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05038-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the correction law, in relation to assuring rehabilitation programs for female inmates are equivalent to programs afforded male inmates
Purpose of bill
To extend to the female inmate population, anywhere in the State, the same opportunity to participate in programs of rehabilitation that are afforded to the male inmate population, thereby increasing the skills available to these women, while incarcerated, for which they may train to seek employment upon their release.
Effects of present law which this bill would alter
Adds new § 114 to the Correction Law.
Justification
Women are now entering non-traditional occupations in great numbers, such as construction and building maintenance. Such work can be a major route out of poverty and help end recidivism for women, inasmuch as the wages for such work are greater than wages earned by women in traditionally female occupations.
Many of the vocational and industrial programs offered to men train them to work in these occupations upon release. Without the appropriate skills, women will have more difficulty competing for those jobs upon their release from incarceration. This legislation will provide that there are relevant programs providing marketable skills and training available to incarcerated women.
Legislative history
2015-16: S.3817/A.7363(O'Donnell)- Referred to Crime Victims, Crime and Correction 2013-2014: S.3316 - Referred to Crime Victims, Crime and Correction 2011-2012: S.3283 - Committed to Rules 2009-2010: S.5037 - Referred to Crime Victims, Crime and Correction 2007-2008: A.3126(Weinstein)- Passed Assembly referred to Health 2005-2006: A.8173(Weinstein)- Passed the Assembly Referred to Crime Victims, Crime and Correction 2003-2004: A.4302(Weinstein)- Assembly Calendar 2001-2002: A.4434(Weinstein)- Rules Committee 1999-2000: A.3631(Weinstein)- Rules Committee
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
Approximately $100,000
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the 60th day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.