BILL NUMBER: S320
SPONSOR: SALAZAR
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the correction law, in relation to the limited credit
time allowances for certain incarcerated individuals
 
PURPOSE OF BILL:
The goal of this bill is to increase the existing limited credit time
allowance (LCTA) for incarcerated individuals from six months to twen-
ty-four months. The LCTA provides a significant incentive for individ-
uals serving lengthy sentences to take all steps possible to engage in
and succeed at programs, educational opportunities, and other rehabili-
tative efforts.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends section 803-b of the correction law, as added by
section 4 of part L of chapter 56 of the laws of 2009, clauses (A) and
(C) of subparagraph (ii) as amended by chapter 322 of the laws of 2021,
to provide that eligible individuals shall be eligible for release twen-
ty-four months before the completion of the controlling minimum period
of imprisonment if they have engaged in significant programmatic activ-
ities and have not had a significant disciplinary history.
Section 2 sets forth the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Under existing law, eligible individuals are eligible for a six-month
allowance if they successfully complete one or more significant program-
matic accomplishments (such as educational attainment, positive work
history within DOCCS, or other similar efforts), have not committed a
serious disciplinary infraction or maintained an overall negative insti-
tutional record. In recognition of the value of positive and productive
conduct while incarcerated, and the harms caused by long periods of
incarceration, this bill expands the allowable amount of good time cred-
it from six months to twenty-four months for eligible incarcerated indi-
viduals, essentially all incarcerated individuals except those serving
life without parole sentence.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
SENATE:
2023-2024: S483 (Salazar) - Referred to Crime Victims, Crime and
Correction
2022: S8602 (Salazar) - Referred to Crime Victims, Crime and Correction
ASSEMBLY: No same as
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
This bill will save the state a significant amount of money as it will
decrease the time individuals will spend incarcerated and will increase
the economic value and contribution individuals will make to their
communities upon release.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.