STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4340 2019-2020 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY February 4, 2019 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN, DE LA ROSA, GOTTFRIED, RIVERA -- Multi- Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Correction AN ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to inmate wages The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 187 of the correction law is amended by adding a 2 new subdivision 5 to read as follows: 3 5. Inmates shall be compensated for all work and program assignments 4 at a base rate of compensation of one dollar twenty cents to ten dollars 5 per day and shall be given biannual raises for adequate performance in 6 such assignments. An inmate working in a manufacturing or industrial 7 assignment shall receive compensation of five to ten dollars per day for 8 the duration of the time such inmate works in such assignment and shall 9 revert to his or her previous rate of compensation once he or she is no 10 longer working in such assignment. Unless an inmate is leaving such 11 manufacturing or industrial assignment, his or her compensation for 12 performing his or her work or program assignment shall not be decreased 13 if he or she is transferred to a different facility or changes assign- 14 ments within a facility. The department shall review and adjust the base 15 rate of compensation of inmates every five years after the effective 16 date of this subdivision to adjust for cost of living increases. A cost 17 of living adjustment shall be made if the sum of the annual average 18 changes of the consumer price index for all urban consumers (CPI-U), as 19 published annually by the United States department of labor bureau of 20 labor statistics, is ten percent or greater upon review. Inmates who are 21 not able to work or participate in programs because of a medical, 22 mental, cognitive, developmental or physical impairment or condition or 23 who are over the age of sixty and not participating in a work or program 24 assignment because of age-related infirmity or frailty shall be paid one 25 dollar per day, adjusted every five years for cost of living. 26 § 2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a 27 law. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD08581-01-9