BILL NUMBER: S6297
SPONSOR: SANDERS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the correction law, in relation to providing for auto-
matic issuance of identification cards to incarcerated individuals and
assistance with obtaining copies of certain documents
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill will make sure that the DOCCS (Department of Correction and
Community Supervision) would provide, in collaboration with the DMV
(Department of Motor Vehicles), an identification card to incarcerated
individuals upon their-release.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one amends the correction law, making sure that the DOCCS would
provide, in collaboration with the DMV, an identification card to incar-
cerated individuals upon their release; and assist incarcerated individ-
uals with obtaining copies of the documents needed to apply for the
identification card.
Section two provides the effective date: the first of April next
succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Without proper identification, men and women leaving correctional facil-
ities face barriers to secure employment, housing, register for school,
open bank accounts, and access other benefits, such as health care.
These are all critical elements to a successful integration, and the
inability to access these resources due to the lack of proper identifi-
cation contributes to recidivism and crime. Ensuring that incarcerated
individuals have a valid state issued ID upon release is critical to a
successful re-entry in the community. This bill will ensure that all
incarcerated individuals will be provided proper identification upon
their release. Moreover, incarcerated individuals will benefit from
DOCCS' help in the gathering of all relevant documents needed to obtain
such identification.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding the
date on which it shall have become a law.

Statutes affected:
S6297: 11 correction law