What's happening
This bill allows applicants who are color blind to qualify for employment as correction officers in New York.
Why it matters
Expands job opportunities for color blind individuals. , enabling them to pursue careers as correction officers—previously, color vision requirements could have excluded otherwise qualified candidates.
Addresses workforce diversity and inclusivity. by removing a barrier that is unrelated to many of the essential functions of correctional work, reflecting a modern understanding of disability and ability in the workplace.
Could help correctional facilities with recruitment challenges. by widening the pool of eligible applicants at a time when many agencies face staffing shortages.
Supports broader anti-discrimination goals. by aligning employment standards with current views on equal opportunity, potentially setting precedent for other public safety or civil service positions.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Allow Color-Blind Guards
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to correction
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 56–3
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.289
- Referred to crime victims, crime and correction
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to correction
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 60–2
Show 4 earlier actions
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.667
- 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.
Allow Colorblind Correction Officers
In Assembly Committee · Correction · Sponsor Carrie Woerner
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3854
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 27, 2017
Introduced by Sen. MARCHIONE -- 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 permitting correction officers to be color blind
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 22-b to read as follows:
§ 22-b. Further qualifications for employment as a correction officer. Every applicant for employment as a correction officer who is qualified for such employment shall be deemed qualified even if such applicant is color blind.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08190-01-7
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 permitting correction officers to be color blind
Purpose
Permits correction officers to be color blind.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends the correction law by adding a new section 22-b to qualify applicants who would so otherwise be disqualified because of their color blindness.
Justification
Individuals who would otherwise be qualified to be a correctional officer are denied this opportunity due to being color blind. Operations within correctional facilities are managed through careful procedures and do not require the correctional officer to distinguish color significance as police often utilize in their duties. Removing this requirement will grant correctional facilities the ability to select higher qualified individuals who would have normally been disqualified by this requirement.
Legislative history
S. 1583 of 2015/2016 - Passed Senate; S. 3305 of 2013/2014; S. 474 of 2011/2012; S. 2398 of 2009/2010; S. 5450 of 2007/2008,
Fiscal implications
None.
Local fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.