BILL NUMBER: S4422
SPONSOR: STEC
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the correction law and the public health law, in
relation to the use of body scanners at correctional facilities
 
PURPOSE:
To require the mandatory use of body scanners for all visitors and
inmates at state correctional facilities.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 - Creates a new section 138-b to the corrections law which
would require the scanning of all visitors prior to entry into a state
correctional facility in accordance with subdivision six of section 3502
of the public health law. It would also require the scanning of all
incarcerated individuals prior to intake at a correctional facility and
following a visitation.
Section 2 - Amends subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 6
of section 3502 of the public health law, as amended by section 1 of
part LL of chapter 56 of the laws of 2023, to make the scanning of visi-
tors and incarcerated individuals in accordance with subdivision six of
section 3502 of the public health law.
Section 3 - Provides effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In January 2025, 20 employees at Upstate Correctional Facility received
medical attention, including the administration of NARCAN, following an
interaction with an incarcerated individual who was showing symptoms of
drug use.
This event highlighted a growing issue within New York state's prisons
centered on illicit compounds making their way into facilities, endan-
gering both staff and the state's incarcerated population.
Drug addiction is rampant among the state's inmate population. The state
Department of Correction and Community Supervision reported that,
between 3,075 incarcerated individuals enrolled in its addition treat-
ment program between Jan. 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2023.
Further, correction officers regularly report the presence of drugs that
have made their way into state prisons.
In the FY 2024 budget, the state appropriated funding for the installa-
tion of body scanners at every state facility. However, existing law
makes the use of the scanners voluntary for visitors, presenting an
additional avenue for the influx of illicit contraband.
This legislation would mandate the scanning of visitors, unless they
could show a legitimate medical condition that would make the use of the
technology a danger. It would also mandate that incarcerated individuals
be scanned prior to intake at a correctional facility and following a
visitation.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Nominal to the state
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, the amend-
ments to subdivision 6 of section 3502 of the public health law as made
by section two of this act shall not affect the repeal of such subdivi-
sion and shall be deemed repealed therewith.

Statutes affected:
S4422: 3502 public health law, 3502(6) public health law