Bill Text: NY A08582 | 2009-2010 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishes a general education equivalency and higher education program in state correctional facilities.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 21-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-06 - referred to correction [A08582 Detail]

Download: New_York-2009-A08582-Introduced.html

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                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         8582
                              2009-2010 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                     May 29, 2009
                                      ___________
       Introduced by M. of A. CAMARA -- read once and referred to the Committee
         on Correction
       AN ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to establishing a gener-
         al equivalency program and a higher education program for inmates
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. The correction law is amended by adding a new section 136-a
    2  to read as follows:
    3    S 136-A. GENERAL EQUIVALENCY PROGRAM AND HIGHER EDUCATION  OF  PERSONS
    4  IN  CORRECTIONAL  FACILITIES.  1. ALL INMATES ADMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT
    5  SERVING A DETERMINATE TERM OF IMPRISONMENT, OR AN INDETERMINATE SENTENCE
    6  OF IMPRISONMENT OTHER THAN  A  SENTENCE  OF  LIFE  IMPRISONMENT  WITHOUT
    7  PAROLE,  WHO  HAVE BEEN EVALUATED UPON ADMISSION PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION
    8  ONE OF SECTION ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN OF THIS ARTICLE AND  ARE  DETER-
    9  MINED  TO BE CAPABLE OF SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING THE ACADEMIC COURSE WORK
   10  REQUIRED FOR A GENERAL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA OR  COLLEGE  CREDIT  COURSES,
   11  SHALL  BE  PROVIDED  WITH  THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLETE SUCH COURSE WORK.
   12  UPON ADMISSION TO THE DEPARTMENT, SUCH INMATES  WILL  BE  PROVIDED  WITH
   13  WRITTEN  NOTICE  THAT  GENERAL  EQUIVALENCY  PROGRAMS AND COLLEGE CREDIT
   14  PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ALL INMATES WHO SO APPLY.
   15    2. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ENSURE THAT ACADEMIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS  WHICH
   16  PROVIDE  THE  APPROPRIATE  CURRICULUM  AND  CERTIFIED ACADEMIC STAFF FOR
   17  GENERAL EQUIVALENCY AND COLLEGE CREDIT INSTRUCTION ARE AVAILABLE AT  ALL
   18  CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES HOUSING INMATES WHO ARE ELIGIBLE. THE DEPARTMENT
   19  SHALL  PROVIDE ACADEMIC STAFF WHO ARE QUALIFIED TO PROVIDE SUCH INSTRUC-
   20  TION AND WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE COMPETITIVE CLASS OF THE  CIVIL  SERVICE
   21  OF NEW YORK STATE. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE SUFFICIENT STAFF AT EACH
   22  CORRECTIONAL  FACILITY  WHERE  ELIGIBLE INMATES ARE CONFINED TO ENSURE A
   23  CLASSROOM RATIO OF TWENTY INMATES FOR EACH INSTRUCTOR. THE COMMISSIONER,
   24  IN COOPERATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF  EDUCATION,  SHALL  SET  UP  THE
   25  EDUCATIONAL  REQUIREMENTS  FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF TEACHERS IN ALL SUCH
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD04984-01-9
       A. 8582                             2
    1  CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES. THE  COMMISSIONER,  IN  CONSULTATION  WITH  THE
    2  COMMISSIONER  OF  EDUCATION,  SHALL  DEVELOP  A CURRICULA AND A PLAN FOR
    3  IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GENERAL EQUIVALENCY AND  COLLEGE  CREDIT  PROGRAMS
    4  AND  SHALL  ISSUE A REPORT WITHIN TWELVE MONTHS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE
    5  OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
    6    S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
    7  it shall have become a law.