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Bill > A04603
NY A04603
NY A04603Establishes visiting policies for incarcerated people, to provide incarcerated people opportunities for personal contact with relatives, friends, clergy, volunteers and other persons to promote better institutional adjustment and better community adjustment upon release.
summary
Introduced
02/04/2025
02/04/2025
In Committee
05/14/2026
05/14/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2025-2026 General Assembly
Bill Summary
AN ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to the establishment of visiting policies for incarcerated individuals
AI Summary
This bill mandates that state and local correctional facilities establish visiting policies to ensure incarcerated individuals have opportunities for in-person contact with relatives, children, friends, clergy, volunteers, and others, aiming to improve their adjustment within the facility and upon release back into the community. Key provisions include requiring visiting hours that accommodate people traveling from within the state, such as evening or weekend hours, ensuring visits are long enough to maintain relationships (at least one hour in local facilities), and implementing a fair policy for managing overcrowding that considers factors like travel distance, visit frequency, and previous disruptions due to overcrowding. The bill also clarifies that while video conferencing can be a supplementary tool, it cannot replace in-person visits and does not count towards the legally required number or duration of visits. Finally, it states that no incarcerated person can be visited against their will.
Committee Categories
Budget and Finance, Justice
Sponsors (64)
David Weprin (D)*,
George Alvarez (D),
Khaleel Anderson (D),
Didi Barrett (D),
Michael Benedetto (D),
Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn (D),
Alex Bores (D),
Harry Bronson (D),
Chris Burdick (D),
Pat Burke (D),
Noah Burroughs (D),
Robert Carroll (D),
Monique Chandler-Waterman (D),
Sarah Clark (D),
Vivian Cook (D),
Catalina Cruz (D),
Brian Cunningham (D),
Landon Dais (D),
Maritza Davila (D),
Erik Dilan (D),
Jeffrey Dinowitz (D),
Harvey Epstein (D),
Emily Gallagher (D),
Eddie Gibbs (D),
Jessica González-Rojas (D),
Andrew Hevesi (D),
Larinda Hooks (D),
Pamela Hunter (D),
Alicia Hyndman (D),
Chantel Jackson (D),
Anna Kelles (D),
Micah Lasher (D),
Charles Lavine (D),
Dana Levenberg (D),
Nikki Lucas (D),
Jen Lunsford (D),
Demond Meeks (D),
Marcela Mitaynes (D),
Diana Moreno (D),
Amy Paulin (D),
Steven Raga (D),
Phil Ramos (D),
Karines Reyes (D),
Gabriella Romero (D),
Linda Rosenthal (D),
Rebecca Seawright (D),
Amanda Septimo (D),
Maryjane Shimsky (D),
Sarahana Shrestha (D),
Jo Anne Simon (D),
Tony Simone (D),
Michaelle Solages (D),
Phara Souffrant Forrest (D),
Phil Steck (D),
Yudelka Tapia (D),
Al Taylor (D),
Claire Valdez (D),
Clyde Vanel (D),
Latrice Walker (D),
Aron Wieder (D),
Carrie Woerner (D),
Jordan Wright (D),
John Zaccaro (D),
Stefani Zinerman (D),
Last Action
ordered to third reading rules cal.118 (on 05/14/2026)
Official Document
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