Bill Text: NY A06501 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Creates a temporary state commission to study and investigate issues affecting reentry of women released from correctional facilities; provides for the repeal of such provisions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - referred to correction [A06501 Detail]
Download: New_York-2023-A06501-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6501 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY April 12, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. GONZALEZ-ROJAS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Correction AN ACT to create a temporary state commission to study and investigate issues affecting reentry of women released from correctional facili- ties; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. A temporary state commission, to be known as the New York 2 state criminal justice commission on women's reentry (hereinafter 3 "commission"), is hereby created to study issues, including relevant 4 statutes, regulations and existing programs involving women's reentry 5 and re-integration of women who are released from state and local 6 correctional facilities. 7 § 2. The commission shall investigate all factors that impede success- 8 ful re-integration for women. The commission shall analyze the impact of 9 existing policies on successful reentry, identify specific obstacles to 10 re-integration and compare policies of this state to those of other 11 states and the federal government. The commission shall collect data 12 from state and federal agencies and may analyze any current research 13 deemed relevant and appropriate. The commission shall examine issues 14 relating to women's reentry, including, but not limited to, identifying 15 physical and psychological hardships endured while incarcerated that may 16 impede successful reentry, identifying specific services that are neces- 17 sary for successful reentry, identifying current obstacles to women 18 receiving these services, and proposing solutions to remove these obsta- 19 cles. The commission specifically shall examine challenges and gender- 20 responsive solutions in the following areas: 21 a. Physical and mental health care, substance use and trauma; 22 b. Housing; 23 c. Employment and education; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD10511-01-3A. 6501 2 1 d. Family reunification and parental support; 2 e. Domestic violence and sexual violence; 3 f. Access to legal assistance and current legal restrictions that 4 create barriers to successful reentry; 5 g. Integration of corrections, parole, and reentry, including the use 6 of parole and supervision; and coordination with community-based provid- 7 ers. 8 § 3. a. The commission shall consist of eighteen members as follows: 9 three members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly; three 10 members shall be appointed by the temporary president of the senate; two 11 members shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; and two 12 members shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly. 13 Members so appointed shall include a representative of an organization 14 that advocates for women in the criminal justice system, a represen- 15 tative of a domestic violence advocacy and/or services organization, two 16 representatives from organizations that provides reentry services for 17 women, an attorney with expertise in women's reentry challenges, a 18 representative of an organization that provides mental health services 19 to women, a representative of an organization that provides substance 20 use treatment for women, a representative of an organization that 21 provides employment and education services to women, a professional with 22 experience in women's health issues and women's health issues in jail 23 and prison, and an academic professional that studies the needs of women 24 involved in the criminal justice system. The remaining members shall be 25 the heads of the following departments or agencies or their respective 26 designees: the department of corrections and community supervision, the 27 department of criminal justice services, the office for the prevention 28 of domestic violence, the department of health, the division of housing 29 and community renewal, the department of labor or the department of 30 education, the office of addiction services and supports, and the office 31 of probation and correctional alternatives or the division of parole. No 32 person shall be a member of such commission while such person is a 33 member of the senate or assembly. Any vacancy on such commission shall 34 be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made. The 35 chairperson of the commission shall be the head or designee of the divi- 36 sion of criminal justice services. The vice-chairperson of the commis- 37 sion shall be a representative of one of the community-based organiza- 38 tions and appointed by the chairperson. 39 b. Except as provided in subdivision a of this section, no member, 40 officer or employee of the commission shall be disqualified from holding 41 any other public office or employment, nor shall he or she forfeit any 42 such office or employment by reason of his or her appointment hereunder, 43 notwithstanding the provisions of any general, special or local law, 44 ordinance or city charter. 45 § 4. The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for 46 their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses 47 incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder. 48 § 5. The commission may employ and at pleasure remove such personnel 49 as it may deem necessary for the performance of its functions and fix 50 their compensation within the amounts made available by appropriation 51 therefor. 52 § 6. For the accomplishment of its purposes, the commission shall be 53 authorized and empowered to undertake any studies, inquiries, surveys or 54 analyses it may deem relevant through its own personnel or in cooper- 55 ation with or by agreement with any other public or private agency. Such 56 commission shall meet and hold public hearings or private meetings with-A. 6501 3 1 in or without the state, and shall have all the powers of a legislative 2 committee pursuant to the legislative law. 3 § 7. The commission may request and shall receive from any court in 4 the state and from any subdivision, department, board, bureau, commis- 5 sion, office, agency or other instrumentality of the state or of any 6 political subdivision thereof such facilities, assistance and data as it 7 deems necessary or desirable for the proper execution of its powers and 8 duties and to effectuate the purposes set forth in this act. 9 § 8. The commission shall make a report of its findings, including any 10 recommendations for legislative action as it may deem necessary and 11 appropriate, to the governor and the legislature no later than eighteen 12 months after this act shall have become a law. 13 § 9. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be 14 deemed repealed two years after such date.