What's happening
This bill requires that reports on inmate deaths by the correction medical review board be shared more broadly and only minimally redacted to protect confidential medical and behavioral health records.
Why it matters
Increases transparency and oversight. by requiring that reports on inmate deaths are shared not just with the commission but also with all recipients of the commission’s annual report, potentially including lawmakers and other oversight bodies.
Limits the ability to redact information. from these reports, allowing redactions only when necessary to protect confidential medical and behavioral health records as required by law, which could make more information available to the public and policymakers.
May lead to greater accountability for correctional facilities. by making it harder to withhold details about the circumstances of inmate deaths, potentially prompting changes to prevent future deaths and encouraging improved standards of care.
Could enhance public trust. in the correctional system by demonstrating a commitment to openness about serious incidents like inmate deaths, while still protecting sensitive health information.
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Who cares
Correction Medical Review Board
The board would have to send inmate death review reports to recipients of the commission’s annual report and limit redactions to those required to protect confidential medical and behavioral health records.
State Commission of Correction and its annual report recipients
The bill would expand distribution of inmate death review reports beyond the commission to those annual report recipients.
Correctional facility administrators
Administrators could face broader scrutiny of deaths at their facilities as the board’s reports reach additional recipients with restricted redactions.
Headline styles
Require Full Inmate Death Reports
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Approval memo.48
- Signed chap.657
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to assembly
- Passed senateVote 47–15
- 3rd reading cal.630
- Substituted for S2692
- Referred to crime victims, crime and correction
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Advanced to third reading cal.84
- Reported
Show 1 earlier action
- 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.
Open Inmate Death Reports
Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor Luis R. Sepúlveda
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4336
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 4, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN, BLAKE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Correction
AN ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to the report the correction medical review board is required to issue regarding the death of any inmate
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subdivision 1 of section 47 of the correction law, as added by chapter 865 of the laws of 1975, is amended to read as follows:
(d) Upon review of the cause of death and circumstances surrounding the death of any inmate, the board shall submit its report thereon to the commission and to the recipients of the annual report pursuant to subdivision seventeen of section forty-five of this article and, where appropriate, make recommendations to prevent the recurrence of such deaths to the commission and the administrator of the appropriate correctional facility. Such report shall not be redacted except as otherwise required to protect confidential medical records and behavioral health records in accordance with state and federal laws, rules, and regulations.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08549-01-9
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.