What's happening
The "prison privilege limitation act" restricts certain convicted inmates from being unsupervised with civilians or wearing civilian clothing.
Why it matters
Targets inmates convicted of serious violent crimes. The bill specifically applies to individuals serving sentences for murder (Penal Law sections 125.25, 125.26, 125.27) and certain felony sex offenses (sections 130.30 and 130.35), signaling a focus on those deemed most dangerous.
Limits unsupervised civilian contact. By requiring that these inmates never be left alone with civilians (except for medical treatment), the bill aims to reduce risks of escape, harm to others, or inappropriate interactions, potentially enhancing public and staff safety.
Removes the privilege of civilian clothing. Prohibiting the wearing of civilian clothes for these inmates may improve their identification, reduce opportunities for disguising themselves, and address concerns about inmates blending in during transfers or facility visits.
Narrows exceptions to medical necessity. The only exception to these restrictions is for medical treatment, underlining the bill’s strict approach and potentially impacting inmate participation in programs, work details, or visits that don’t involve direct law enforcement supervision.
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
People in state prisons serving sentences under the listed Penal Law sections
The bill would bar them from wearing civilian clothing and require officer supervision when they are with civilians, except for specified medical treatment.
State correctional facility administrators
They would need to enforce the supervision requirement and civilian-clothing ban for covered individuals.
Correction officers and law enforcement officers
The bill would require their supervision when covered individuals are in the company of civilians, subject to the medical-treatment exception.
Civilian visitors to state prisons
Their contact with covered individuals would require a correction officer or law enforcement officer to be present.
Headline styles
Limit Prisoner Privileges
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to crime victims, crime and correction
- Referred to crime victims, crime and correction
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1043
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sens. TEDISCO, ORTT -- 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 enacting the "prison privilege limitation act"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "prison privilege limitation act".
§ 2. The correction law is amended by adding a new section 628 to read as follows:
§ 628. Limitation of prison privileges for certain individuals. An individual in a state correctional facility, as defined by subdivision four of section two of this chapter, who has been convicted and is serving a sentence pursuant to section 125.25, 125.26, 125.27, 130.30 and/or 130.35 of the penal law, except for the purposes of receiving medical treatment pursuant to section five hundred eight of this chapter, shall not be left in the company of civilians without supervision of a correction officer or law enforcement officer. In no case shall such individual be granted the privilege of wearing civilian clothing.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02771-01-5
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 enacting the "prison privilege limitation act"
Purpose
To enact the "Prison Privilege Limitation Act."
Summary of provisions
The correction law is amended by adding a new section 628 to read as follows:
§ 628. Limitation of prison privileges for certain individuals. An indi- vidual in a state correctional facility, as defined by subdivision four of section two of this chapter, who has been convicted and is serving a sentence pursuant to section 125.25, 125.26, 125.27, 130.30 and/or 130.35 of the penal law, except for the purposes of receiving medical treatment pursuant to section five hundred eight of this chapter, shall not be left in the company of civilians without supervision of a correction officer or law enforcement officer. In no case shall such individual be granted the privilege of wearing civilian clothing.
Justification
This bill addresses some important concerns with prison privileges in state correctional facilities. This bill only applies to the worst offenders, those who have been convicted of murder or rape, and requir- ing a prison guard or law enforcement officer to be present when these offenders are in the company of civilians is not an unreasonable policy.
Legislative history
06/15/15: S.5978 REFERRED TO RULES
06/16/15: S.5978 AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO RULES
06/16/15: S.5978 PRINT NUMBER 5978A
06/18/15: S.5978 ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.1847
06/25/15: S.5978 RECOMMITTED TO RULES
01/06/16: S. 5978 REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTIONS
03/23/16: S.5978 FIRST REPORT CAL. 411
03/28/16: S. 5978 SECOND REPORT CAL.
03/29/16: S.5978ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
06/17/16: S.5978 COMMITTED TO RULES
01/25/17: S.3689 REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS,CRIME AND CORRECTION
06/07/17: S.3689 REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO RULES
01/03/18: S.3689 REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS,CRIME AND CORRECTION
01/23/19: S.2212 REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS,CRIME AND CORRECTION
01/08/20: S.2212 REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS,CRIME AND CORRECTION
01/11/21: S.1325 REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS,CRIME AND CORRECTION
01/05/22: S.1325 REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS,CRIME AND CORRECTION
01/05/23: S.669 REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTION
01/03/24: S.669 REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTION
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.