BILL NUMBER: S2508
SPONSOR: SALAZAR
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the correction law, in relation to conditional release
for eligible offenders who complete post-secondary degrees or programs
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends section 803-b of the correction law to provide that an
incarcerated person who is otherwise eligible for a limited time credit
allowance and obtains an associates, bachelors, masters, or doctoral
degree shall be eligible for release 12 months before the completion of
the controlling minimum period of imprisonment
Section 2 provides the effective date
 
JUSTIFICATION:
As it now stands, the Limited Credit Time Allowance (LCTA) provides only
a six-month sentence reduction, based upon stringent criteria, no matter
the level of higher education attained by an incarcerated individual.
Under subsection (ii) of Correction Law § 803-b (1) (c), an incarcerated
individual who earns an associate degree, bachelor's degree, master's
degree, or doctoral degree satisfies a "significant programmatic accom-
plishment" as part of the broader LCTA eligibility criteria. However,
that individual does not currently receive a time allowance for each
successive degree earned. As new research shows that recidivism rates
decline as incarcerated individuals earn successive degrees, the statute
should be amended to incentivize greater college participation by adding
successive awards. This approach not only rewards personal growth and
rehabilitation but also recognizes the transformative impact of educa-
tion on reducing reoffending and promoting successful reintegration.
This bill amends the LCTA statute to successively award a one-year time
credit for each degree earned.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
SENATE:
2024: S7843 (Salazar) - Referred to Crime Victims, Crime & Correction,
reported.
2023: S7843 (Salazar) - Referred to Rules.
ASSEMBLY:
2023-2024: A4888 (Epstein) - Referred to Correction.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Unknown
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
90 days after becoming law