What's happening
This bill allows Greene County and a neighboring county to jointly build and operate a shared county jail facility.
Why it matters
Expands local jail options. By allowing Greene County and a neighboring county to jointly construct and operate a jail, the bill could help both counties address overcrowding, aging facilities, or budget constraints, making it easier to meet modern standards for incarceration and detainee care.
Clarifies legal status and jurisdiction. The shared jail would legally count as the “county jail” for both counties, ensuring that all relevant state laws and court proceedings can be properly handled, and removing ambiguity around where prisoners can be held or legal actions can be processed.
Potential cost savings and efficiency. By pooling resources for construction, financing, and maintenance, both counties could reduce per-county expenses and avoid duplicative spending, potentially lowering local taxes or freeing up funds for other services.
Reduces transportation and logistical challenges. With a single, shared facility, officials can hold, process, and transfer detainees more efficiently, which may improve court scheduling and reduce costs and delays associated with moving inmates between counties.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Share County Jail Facilities
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to ways and means
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Print number 7968a
- Amend (t) and recommit 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.
Let Counties Share Jails
In Senate Committee · Local Government · Sponsor Jamaal Bailey
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7968--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 29, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. LENTOL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Correction -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT in relation to authorizing Greene county to enter into an agreement with a contiguous county to share the construction, financing, improvement, maintenance and/or housing of persons in the custody of the sheriff of a county jail
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. (a) Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, Greene county may enter into an agreement with a contiguous county to share the construction, financing, improvement, maintenance and/or housing of persons in the custody of the sheriff of a county jail. Any such shared county jail shall be physically located in Greene county or such contiguous county. Any agreement made pursuant to this section shall be in accordance with the provisions of article 5-G of the general municipal law. For the purposes of this section, the term "contiguous county" shall, with respect to counties, mean and include "contiguous" as described (with respect to towns and villages) in subdivision 4 of section 750 of the general municipal law.
(b) A shared county jail established pursuant to this section shall be considered the county jail of Greene county and such contiguous county for the purposes of any relevant provision of law and be considered a local correctional facility, as such term is defined in subdivision 16 of section 2 of the correction law, for all purposes.
(c) For purposes of subdivision 2 of section 70.20 of the penal law and any other relevant provision of the criminal procedure law and any other law, such shared county jail shall be considered to be located in Greene county and such contiguous county and be considered the county jail of the county for all courts located in Greene county and such contiguous county. Further, a person taken into custody pursuant to
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13047-02-9
A. 7968--A 2
paragraph (b) of subdivision 3 of section 259-i of the executive law may be incarcerated in such shared county jail for an arrest occurring in Greene county or such contiguous county and, if a local revocation hearing is to be held pursuant to paragraph (e) of such subdivision 3, the location of such shared county jail shall be considered in determining whether such facility is reasonably near the place of the alleged violation or arrest.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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.