Bill Text: NY A09598 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes the incarcerated individual undergraduate degree completion task force and requires reporting to the governor and legislature of recommendations on how to ensure courses taken by individuals while incarcerated qualify for degree completion at a qualified state college or university.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 16-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-27 - referred to correction [A09598 Detail]
Download: New_York-2019-A09598-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 9598 IN ASSEMBLY January 27, 2020 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. ARROYO, CRUZ -- read once and referred to the Committee on Correction AN ACT to establish the incarcerated individual undergraduate degree completion task force; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The state department of corrections and community super- 2 vision shall establish an incarcerated individual undergraduate degree 3 completion task force for correction facilities to examine, evaluate and 4 issue recommendations on how to ensure courses taken by individuals 5 while incarcerated qualify for degree completion at a qualified state 6 college or university. 7 § 2. For the purpose of this act the following terms have the follow- 8 ing meanings: 9 (a) "Qualified state college or university" shall mean a campus of the 10 state university of New York, a campus of the city university of New 11 York, or a campus of the commission on independent colleges and univer- 12 sities. 13 (b) "Commissioner" shall mean the state commissioner of corrections 14 and community supervision. 15 § 3. (a) Such task force shall consist of nine members that shall be 16 appointed as follows: six members shall be appointed by the governor 17 with recommendations from the state university of New York, the city 18 university of New York and the commission on independent colleges and 19 universities; one member shall be appointed by the temporary president 20 of the senate; one member shall be appointed by the speaker of the 21 assembly; and one member shall be appointed by the commissioner of 22 corrections. 23 (b) The task force shall be chaired by the commissioner or selected by 24 the commissioner from the appointed members. The task force shall elect 25 a vice-chair and other necessary officers from among all appointed 26 members. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD14177-01-9A. 9598 2 1 (c) Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their 2 services but shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in 3 the performance of their duties in the work of the task force. 4 § 4. The task force shall, in collaboration with the department of 5 corrections and community supervision and the department of education, 6 and in consultation with the state university of New York, the city 7 university of New York and the commission on independent colleges and 8 universities, examine, evaluate and issue recommendations on: 9 (a) ensuring all credits received from a qualified state college or 10 university or an approved incarcerated individual undergraduate college 11 program are transferable and apply to undergraduate degree programs 12 offered at a qualified state college or university; 13 (b) what credit courses shall be offered, including but not limited 14 to: (i) when such courses will be offered, (ii) how many individuals are 15 able to take part in the program at each state correctional facility, 16 (iii) what educational materials will be provided for each credit 17 course; (iv) what mechanism for learning will be utilized to teach the 18 credit courses; (v) the credit equivalency to other like credit courses 19 offered at a qualified state college or university; and (vi) any other 20 issue the task force deems necessary in determining what credit courses 21 shall be offered; 22 (c) how, if applicable, a qualified state college or university will 23 collaborate with state correctional facilities to provide undergraduate 24 degree completion program services, including but not limited to: (i) 25 academic counselors, (ii) instructional personnel, (iii) tutoring 26 services, or (iv) any other service the task force deems necessary to 27 assist incarcerated individuals in completing their undergraduate 28 degree; 29 (d) various methods to fund or otherwise raise capital for such incar- 30 cerated individual undergraduate degree completion programs; and 31 (e) any other issue such task force deems relevant. 32 § 5. The task force may, as it deems appropriate, request that 33 studies, surveys, or analyses relating to the task force's powers and 34 duties be performed by any state department, commission, agency or 35 public authority. All state departments, commissions, agencies or public 36 authorities shall provide information and advice in a timely manner and 37 otherwise assist the task force with its work. 38 § 6. The department of corrections and community supervision shall 39 provide staff services to the task force and such other administrative 40 assistance as may be necessary for the task force to carry out its 41 duties, functions and powers. 42 § 7. The task force shall make and submit a report of its findings, 43 conclusions and recommendations to the governor, the temporary president 44 of the senate and the speaker of the assembly on or before February 1, 45 2021 and shall submit with its report legislative proposals as it deems 46 necessary to implement such recommendations. 47 § 8. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be 48 deemed repealed March 1, 2021.
