STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                         8624--A
            Cal. No. 860

                    IN SENATE

                                    February 22, 2024
                                       ___________

        Introduced by Sen. FERNANDEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed  to  be committed to the Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and
          Correction -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first
          and second report, ordered to a third  reading,  amended  and  ordered
          reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading

        AN  ACT  to amend the correction law, in relation to prohibiting correc-
          tional facilities from blocking entry to peer support advocates  based
          on such advocates' prior history of incarceration

          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 138-b
     2  to read as follows:
     3    § 138-b. Permitted entry by peer support advocates. Peer support advo-
     4  cates who are certified or licensed  by  a  state  agency,  or  a  state
     5  authorized  entity  including  the  New  York  certification board, or a
     6  nationally recognized accrediting agency or association, and are partic-
     7  ipating in the provision of  corrections-based  substance  use  disorder
     8  treatment  and transition services, including but not limited to medica-
     9  tion assistant treatment, pursuant to  section  19.18-c  of  the  mental
    10  hygiene  law,  shall  not be unreasonably denied entry into correctional
    11  facilities soley based on such advocates' history  of  prior  incarcera-
    12  tion.
    13    §  2.  This  act  shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
    14  have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
    15  repeal of any rule or regulation necessary  for  the  implementation  of
    16  this  act  on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
    17  on or before such effective date.



         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD14630-02-4