BILL NUMBER: S1692
SPONSOR: RAMOS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the correction law, in relation to commissaries or
canteens in correctional institutions
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Section 26 of the correction law, as amended by chapter 487
of the laws of 1994, is amended to cap items sold at commissaries or
canteens at no more than 3 percent and have the department take advan-
tage of bulk purchasing if it will reduce the cost of items.
Section 2: The correction law is amended by adding a new section to
avoid inmate funds to be used towards paying a penalty or for any reason
other than a purchase at a commissary or canteen.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
This legislation would guarantee that items sold at the commissary or
canteen are not sold higher than three percent, and that the funds are
reserved for the purchasing of goods, not used to fund a violation or
penalty.
Commissaries or canteens have too often served as a method in which
correctional facilities financially exploit prisoners and their fami-
lies. As we work to increase the minimum wage for prisoners, we need to
make sure that correctional facilities do not have the opportunity to
gouge the prices of goods and digital services, purchased through the
commissary or canteens.
This bill is a first step to create financial equity for prisoners and
their families, by not allowing correctional facilities to sell items
higher than three percent. In addition, the funds in the commissary or
canteen should only be used to purchase goods, and not as a form of
penalty for any violation. There are approximately 54,700 prisoners,
predominantly people of color in the State of New York and it is our
duty to ensure that they are being treated with fairness.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: S1744 (Ramos) Passed Senate / A5134 (People-Stokes) Referred to
Ways and Means
2021-22: S1051 (Ramos) Referred to Crime Victims, Crime and Correction
2019-20: S3473 (Ramos) Referred to Crime Victims, Crime and Correction /
A6088 (Fernandez) referred to correction
 
FISCAL IMPACT:
TBD
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately

Statutes affected:
S1692: 26 correction law