BILL NUMBER: S5298
SPONSOR: SEPULVEDA
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the correction law, in relation to prohibiting
corrections employees from participating in degrading behavior towards
incarcerated persons or fellow employees
 
PURPOSE:
This bill will prohibit racist and degrading name calling of prisoners
by state employees.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends Correction Law Section 137(5).
Section 2 provides an effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Although most DOCCS employees act in a professional manner, incarcerated
people have long complained of some employees calling them degrading and
racist names and engaging in other insulting and humiliating behavior
targeting them for their race, sexual orientation, ethnicity or other
protected status under the State's human rights laws. This kind of
behavior should not be tolerated by the State, by DOCCS or by any
employee of the Department. The bill provides that employees who engage
in such behavior shall be disciplined and may be terminated for cause.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
S.4337 of 2023-2024; Referred to Crime Victims, Crime and Correction;
S. 3210 of 2021-22: New bill, Referred to Crime Victims, Crime and
Correction
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Ninety days after it shall have become a law.

Statutes affected:
S5298: 137 correction law, 137(5) correction law