What's happening
This bill updates requirements for heat mitigation plans in New York correctional facilities, including evaluating permanent cooling solutions.
Why it matters
Focuses on vulnerable populations. The bill clarifies that heat mitigation efforts must specifically track and monitor incarcerated individuals and staff who have medical conditions making them more susceptible to extreme heat, potentially reducing health risks for those most at risk.
Evaluates long-term solutions. Instead of only providing temporary relief (like fans and water), the bill requires a formal evaluation of the financial and operational feasibility of installing permanent, sustainable cooling systems in correctional facilities, signaling a move toward lasting infrastructure improvements.
Conditional implementation. If the evaluation finds that permanent, sustainable cooling is feasible at a facility, the commissioner is required to develop a timeline for implementing these solutions, ensuring accountability and potential follow-through rather than just studying the problem.
Balances safety protocols. The amendment specifies that shade must be provided in exercise yards when consistent with facility safety and security protocols, acknowledging both inmate well-being and institutional security concerns.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Cooler Prisons in Summer
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by A1676
- Ordered to third reading cal.38
- Referred to rules
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.
Keep Prisons Cool and Safe
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Chris Burdick
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
764
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sen. HARCKHAM -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to the commissioner of corrections and community supervision's heat mitigation plan for correctional facilities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 6 of section 112 of the correction law, as added by a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the correction law relating to establishing an annual heat mitigation plan; and directing the extreme heat action plan work group of the department of environmental conservation to analyze the impact of extreme heat on incarcerated individuals and people working in prisons, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 7781-A and A. 9169-A, is amended to read as follows:
6. (a) The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations to establish and maintain an annual heat mitigation plan to ensure incarcerated individuals and correctional facility staff have options available to stay cool, hydrated and safe during high heat temperatures. Such plan shall include, to the extent possible:
(i) access to industrial fans, water, ice, and additional access to showers;
(ii) commissaries fully stocked with personal fans prior to the beginning of summer;
(iii) monitoring temperatures in housing, program and industry areas;
(iv) maintaining a list of incarcerated individuals and correctional facility staff [with] who have medical conditions that make them more susceptible to heat and monitor their well-being;
(v) increased rounds and wellness checks; and
(vi) providing shade on exercise yards if consistent with the facility's safety and security protocols.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02905-01-5
(b) The commissioner, as part of such heat mitigation plan, shall [develop a timeline to establish] evaluate the financial and operational feasibility of establishing cooling stations [and provide evaporative fans to] and a permanent sustainable cooling solution at each facility, provided that upon a determination or finding that a permanent sustainable cooling solution is feasible in each facility, the commissioner shall develop a timeline to implement the findings of such evaluation.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the correction law relating to establishing an annual heat mitigation plan; and directing the extreme heat action plan work group of the department of environmental conservation to analyze the impact of extreme heat on incarcerated individuals and people working in prisons, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 7781-A and A. 9169-A, takes effect.
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 the commissioner of corrections and community supervision's heat mitigation plan for correc- tional facilities
Purpose
This is a chapter amendment that makes changes to provisions of L.2024, c.561.
Summary of provisions
This legislation amends the underlying chapter by allowing correctional facilities to consider safety and security protocols when determining whether to provide shade on exercise yards in an annual heat mitigation plan for correctional facilities.
The legislation also requires that the heat mitigation plan include an evaluation of the feasibility of establishing cooling stations and a "permanent sustainable cooling solution" at each facility. If a feasible solution is found, the commissioner must develop a timeline to implement the findings.
Existing law
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Justification
Pursuant to approval memo 31 of 2024, the Executive stated that changes were necessary to address security and feasibility challenges. This legislation is a negotiated change to the underlying chapter that addresses those concerns.
Legislative history
Chapter amendment to Chapter 561 of the Laws of 2025. S.7781-A and A.9169-A both passed the Senate and Assembly, respectively, in June 2024.
Fiscal implications
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Local fiscal implications
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Effective date
This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the correction law relating to establishing an annual heat mitigation plan; and directing the extreme heat action plan work group of the department of environmental conserva- tion to analyze the impact of extreme heat on incarcerated individuals and people working in prisons, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 7781-A and A. 9169-A, takes effect.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.