BILL NUMBER: S1892B
SPONSOR: JACKSON
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the correction law, in relation to who may visit local
correctional facilities
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This purpose of this bill is to allow certain state and local officials
to have staff accompany them while visiting local correctional facili-
ties.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 would amend Section 500-j of the Correction Law to authorize
accompanying staff of members of certain state officials to visit all
local correctional facilities. Certain county and city officials and
their accompany staff would be authorized to visit local correctional
facilities within their jurisdiction.
Section 2 would provide for the effective date.
 
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION (IF APPLICABLE):
The amended version of this bill clarifies the language of the bill and
extends to all officials authorized to visit local correctional facili-
ties the option to be accompanied by staff during any such visit.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In 2019, New York enacted a law that allowed staff of members of the
Legislature to accompany them into State correctional facilities.
Senators and Assembly Members are very often accompanied by their staff
during the course of their duties. Unfortunately, the 2019 law excluded
local correctional facilities and, consequently, local officials have
denied accompanying staff of State elected officials from visiting such
facilities. This bill closes that glaring loophole. This bill also
authorizes elected members of the local legislative body and their
accompanying staff to visit local correctional facilities.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2025 - A2119 (Weprin)/S1892 (Jackson): Referred to Correction
2024 - A6487 (Weprin)/S181 (Jackson): Referred to Correction
2023 - A6487 (Weprin)/S181 (Jackson): Referred to Correction
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S1892: 500-j correction law
S1892A: 500-j correction law
S1892B: 500-j correction law