Bill > S00651

This bill expands the authority of the Correctional Association of New York, a non-profit organization founded in 1844 to provide independent oversight of state prisons, by granting the organization unprecedented access to correctional facilities and their records. Specifically, the bill allows the Correctional Association to visit any state correctional facility at any time without advance notice, with up to 12 people in the visiting party (limited to 4 people in special housing units). The organization will now have the right to conduct confidential interviews with correctional employees, incarcerated individuals, and service providers without departmental interference or potential retaliation. Moreover, the bill mandates that the Department of Corrections provide the Correctional Association with comprehensive quarterly data on various aspects of prison operations, including admission records, population information, programming, staffing levels, deaths, incidents, disciplinary actions, and grievances. The organization is also authorized to conduct surveys and establish confidential communication channels with incarcerated individuals. The bill requires the Correctional Association to inspect each state correctional facility at least every five years and issue public reports with recommendations, to which the Commissioner of Corrections may respond. The goal is to enhance transparency, accountability, and oversight of New York's correctional system.

Justice

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S651