Requires certain reports to be provided to the legislature regarding correctional facilities, especially evaluating the capacity and staffing of the state prison system.

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S2765-2011 Actions

• Jun 16, 2011: SUBSTITUTED BY A3582
• Jun 16, 2011: ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.1302
• Jun 16, 2011: COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES
• Jun 7, 2011: REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
• Feb 1, 2011: REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTION

S2765-2011 Meetings

Crime Victims, Crime and Correction: Jun 7, 2011, Rules: Jun 16, 2011, Rules: Jun 17, 2011

S2765-2011 Calendars

Floor Calendar: Jun 16, 2011

S2765-2011 Votes

S2765-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S2765

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the correction law, in relation to requiring certain
reports to the legislature regarding correctional facilities

PURPOSE OF THE BILL:
To require the department of correctional
services to report to the legislature on the staffing and capacity of
the state prison system.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one of the bill requires that on February 1, 2011, and every
year thereafter, the commissioner of the department of correctional
services shall provide the legislature with a detailed report on
security staffing levels and bed capacity, including the number of
inmates living in doubled-bunked and double-celled conditions, within
the state prison system.

Section two of the bill amends section 79a of the correction law to
require the department of correctional services to submit a report to
the legislature on the impact of a proposed prison closure along with
the closure notice already required by existing law. Such report will
include information regarding the impact on inmate security level
classification, security staffing to inmate ratio, bed capacity,
programs, and impact of such closure on employees of the department
of correctional services.

JUSTIFICATION:
Existing law requires the department of correctional services (DOCS)
to report security staffing information to the legislature each year.
This bill expands the existing report by requiring additional
information about security staffing ratios, bed capacity and the
double-bunking and double-ceiling of inmates be included in such
report. The bill also requires that such report be provided to the
legislature by February 1st of each year.

Additionally, this bill modifies the prison closure notice
requirements of section 79-a of the correction law by requiring that
a report, with specific information regarding the impact of any
proposed closure, accompany the closure notice. Each year a prison
closure has been proposed by the Governor, DOCS has provided the
legislature with a report detailing the reason for the proposed
closure and the anticipated impact. This bill will codify this
practice and require DOCS to formally report on how a prison closure
will impact staff, security, inmates, available bed capacity, and
programs. This will ensure that the legislature continues to be
provided with the information needed to make informed decisions
regarding proposed prison closures.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2009-10:  S.8022/A.11330 (Aubrey) - Vetoed Memo 6767

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

S2765-2011 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                    2765

                         2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                              February 1, 2011
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sen. HASSELL-THOMPSON -- read twice and ordered printed,
    and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on  Crime  Victims,
    Crime and Correction

  AN  ACT  to  amend  the correction law, in relation to requiring certain
    reports to the legislature regarding correctional facilities

    THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
  BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


    Section  1.  Subdivision  4  of  section  29 of the correction law, as
  amended by section 1 of part R of chapter 56 of the  laws  of  2005,  is
  amended to read as follows:

    4.  [The] ON OR BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF FEBRUARY, TWO THOUSAND TWELVE,
  AND EVERY YEAR  THEREAFTER,  THE  commissioner  [of  the  department  of
  correctional  services] shall provide [an annual] A COMPREHENSIVE report
  to  the  legislature  [on  the  staffing  of  correction  officers   and
  correction sergeants in state correctional facilities. Such report shall
  include,  but  not  be  limited  to the following factors: the number of
  security posts on the current plot plan for each facility that have been
  closed on a daily basis, by correctional facility  security  classifica-
  tion  (minimum,  medium  and  maximum); the number of security positions
  eliminated by correctional facility since two thousand compared  to  the
  number  of  inmates  incarcerated  in each such facility; a breakdown by
  correctional facility  security  classification  (minimum,  medium,  and
  maximum)  of the staff hours of overtime worked, by year since two thou-
  sand and the annual aggregate costs related to this overtime.  In  addi-
  tion,  such report shall be delineated by correctional facility security
  classification, the annual number of security positions eliminated,  the
  number  of closed posts and amount of staff hours of overtime accrued as
  well as the overall overtime expenditures that resulted] EVALUATING  THE
  CAPACITY  AND STAFFING OF THE STATE PRISON SYSTEM.  Such report shall be
  provided to the TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE  SPEAKER  OF  THE
  ASSEMBLY,  THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE, THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE

   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD04698-01-1

 S. 2765                             2

  ASSEMBLY, AND THE chairs of the senate finance, assembly ways and means,
  senate crime VICTIMS, CRIME and [corrections]  CORRECTION  and  assembly
  correction  committees  [by  December  thirty-first].  SUCH REPORT SHALL
  INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:

    (A)  INFORMATION ON THE STAFFING OF CORRECTION OFFICERS AND CORRECTION
  SERGEANTS IN STATE CORRECTIONAL  FACILITIES  INCLUDING:  THE  NUMBER  OF
  SECURITY POSTS ON THE CURRENT PLOT PLAN FOR EACH FACILITY THAT HAVE BEEN
  CLOSED  ON  A DAILY BASIS, BY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY SECURITY CLASSIFICA-
  TION (MINIMUM, MEDIUM AND MAXIMUM); THE  NUMBER  OF  SECURITY  POSITIONS
  ELIMINATED BY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY SINCE THE YEAR TWO THOUSAND COMPARED
  TO THE NUMBER OF INMATES INCARCERATED IN EACH SUCH FACILITY; A BREAKDOWN
  BY  CORRECTIONAL  FACILITY SECURITY CLASSIFICATION (MINIMUM, MEDIUM, AND
  MAXIMUM) OF THE STAFF HOURS OF OVERTIME WORKED, BY YEAR SINCE  THE  YEAR
  TWO  THOUSAND  AND  THE ANNUAL AGGREGATE COSTS RELATED TO THIS OVERTIME.
  THE REPORT SHALL ALSO INCLUDE THE RATIO OF ALL SECURITY STAFF TO INMATES
  AT EACH CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. IN ADDITION, SUCH  INFORMATION  SHALL  BE
  DELINEATED  BY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY SECURITY CLASSIFICATION, THE ANNUAL
  NUMBER OF SECURITY POSITIONS ELIMINATED, THE NUMBER OF CLOSED POSTS  AND
  AMOUNT  OF  STAFF HOURS OF OVERTIME ACCRUED AS WELL AS THE OVERALL OVER-
  TIME EXPENDITURES THAT RESULTED;
    (B) THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES IN OPERATION WHICH ARE
  MAINTAINED BY THE DEPARTMENT, THE SECURITY LEVEL OF EACH SUCH  FACILITY,
  THE NUMBER OF INMATES AT EACH SUCH FACILITY, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BEDS AT
  EACH  CORRECTIONAL  FACILITY,  AND  THE NUMBER OF EMPTY BEDS, IF ANY, AT
  EACH SUCH FACILITY WITH AN EXPLANATION AS TO THE TYPE  OF  BED  THAT  IS
  EMPTY.  WHEN  REPORTING  ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BEDS AND EMPTY BEDS, THE
  COMMISSIONER SHALL DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN GENERAL  CONFINEMENT  BEDS  AND
  OTHER TYPES OF SPECIALIZED OR RESTRICTED BEDS WITHIN THE SYSTEM, INCLUD-
  ING  BUT  NOT  LIMITED TO INFIRMARY BEDS, BEDS UTILIZED FOR DISCIPLINARY
  PURPOSES, SHOCK INCARCERATION BEDS, WORK RELEASE BEDS,  SUBSTANCE  ABUSE
  AND  MENTAL  HEALTH  TREATMENT BEDS AND ANY OTHER TYPE OF SPECIALIZED OR
  RESTRICTED BEDS.    THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  ALSO  INCLUDE  INFORMATION
  REGARDING THE NECESSITY TO MAINTAIN SUCH SPECIALIZED AND RESTRICTED BEDS
  TO MEET THE NEEDS OF INMATES AND THE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM;
    (C)  THE  CURRENT  NUMBER  OF INMATES WITHIN THE PRISON SYSTEM WHO ARE
  LIVING IN DOUBLE-BUNKED AND DOUBLE-CELLED CONDITIONS, WITH  AN  EXPLANA-
  TION  AS  TO  THE  NUMBER OF INMATES DOUBLE-BUNKED AND DOUBLE-CELLED, IF
  ANY, WITHIN MINIMUM SECURITY FACILITIES, MEDIUM SECURITY FACILITIES, AND
  MAXIMUM SECURITY FACILITIES. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROVIDE AN  EXPLANA-
  TION   AS  TO  THE  NUMBER  OF  INMATES,  IF  ANY,  WHO  ARE  LIVING  IN
  DOUBLE-BUNKED OR DOUBLE-CELLED CONDITIONS AS  A  RESULT  OF  A  VARIANCE
  RECEIVED FROM THE STATE COMMISSION OF CORRECTION ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO
  ARTICLE  THREE  OF  THIS CHAPTER. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS PARAGRAPH, AN
  INMATE SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE LIVING IN A  DOUBLE-BUNKED  CONDITION  WHEN
  HIS  OR  HER  CONFINEMENT  BED  IS  SITUATED  IMMEDIATELY  ABOVE ANOTHER
  CONFINEMENT BED OR IMMEDIATELY BELOW ANOTHER CONFINEMENT BED IN A  HOUS-
  ING  UNIT  DEFINED  BY  THE STATE COMMISSION OF CORRECTION AS A MULTIPLE
  OCCUPANCY HOUSING UNIT AND, AN INMATE SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE LIVING IN  A
  DOUBLE-CELLED  CONDITION  WHEN  HIS  OR  HER CONFINEMENT BED IS SITUATED
  IMMEDIATELY ABOVE ANOTHER CONFINEMENT BED OR IMMEDIATELY  BELOW  ANOTHER
  CONFINEMENT  BED  IN  A  HOUSING UNIT DEFINED BY THE STATE COMMISSION OF
  CORRECTION AS EITHER AN INDIVIDUAL OCCUPANCY HOUSING UNIT  OR  A  DOUBLE
  OCCUPANCY HOUSING UNIT ORIGINALLY DESIGNED FOR INDIVIDUAL OCCUPANCY.
    S  2.  Section  79-a of the correction law, as amended by section 1 of
  part H of chapter 56 of the laws of 2009, is amended to read as follows:


 S. 2765                             3

    S 79-a. Closure of correctional facilities; notice. Before the closure
  of any correctional facility,[,] for reasons other than those set  forth
  in  paragraph  (a)  of  subdivision  eight of section forty-five of this
  chapter, the commissioner shall take the following actions:

    1.  confer with the department of civil service, the governor's office
  of employee relations and any other appropriate state agencies to devel-
  op strategies which attempt to minimize the impact of the closure on the
  state work force;
    2. consult with the department of economic development and  any  other
  appropriate  state agencies to develop strategies which attempt to mini-
  mize the impact of such closures on the local  and  regional  economies;
  [and]
    3.  provide  notice  by certified mail to (i) all local governments of
  any political subdivision in which the correctional facility is located,
  (ii) all employee labor organizations operating within, or  representing
  employees  of,  the  correctional  facility,  [and] (iii) managerial and
  confidential employees employed within  the  correctional  facility  AND
  (IV) THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY,
  THE  MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE, THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE ASSEMBLY,
  AND THE CHAIRS OF THE SENATE FINANCE, ASSEMBLY WAYS  AND  MEANS,  SENATE
  CRIME  VICTIMS,  CRIME AND CORRECTION AND ASSEMBLY CORRECTION COMMITTEES
  at least twelve months prior to any such closure[.]; AND
    4. INCLUDE, WITH THE NOTICE REQUIRED  BY  SUBDIVISION  THREE  OF  THIS
  SECTION,  A  REPORT  REGARDING  THE IMPACT OF THE CLOSURE ON INMATES AND
  STAFF IN THE STATE PRISON SYSTEM. SUCH REPORT  SHALL  INCLUDE,  BUT  NOT
  LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:

    (I) AN EXPLANATION AS TO THE IMPACT OF SUCH CLOSURE ON THE STATE PRIS-
  ON  SYSTEM  AS A WHOLE, INCLUDING THE IMPACT, IF ANY, ON INMATE SECURITY
  LEVEL CLASSIFICATION, THE CHANGE, IF ANY, THAT WILL RESULT IN THE  RATIO
  OF  INMATES  TO  CORRECTIONAL STAFF, BOTH WITHIN INDIVIDUAL CORRECTIONAL
  FACILITIES AND WITHIN THE STATE PRISON SYSTEM AS  A  WHOLE,  THE  CHANGE
  THAT WILL RESULT IN THE BED CAPACITY WITHIN THE STATE PRISON SYSTEM AS A
  WHOLE  AND  WITHIN  THE MINIMUM SECURITY CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, MEDIUM
  SECURITY  CORRECTIONAL  FACILITIES  AND  MAXIMUM  SECURITY  CORRECTIONAL
  FACILITIES, RESPECTIVELY;
    (II)  AN  EXPLANATION AS TO THE IMPACT OF SUCH CLOSURE ON EMPLOYEES OF
  THE DEPARTMENT WHO WILL BE AFFECTED, INCLUDING  INFORMATION  AS  TO  THE
  NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WHO WILL HAVE NEW WORK LOCATIONS AND THE EFFORTS, IF
  ANY,  UNDERTAKEN  BY  THE  DEPARTMENT  TO MINIMIZE THE RELOCATION OF ANY
  EMPLOYEES; AND
    (III) AN EXPLANATION AS TO THE NUMBER AND TYPES OF  PROGRAMS  AND  THE
  AVAILABILITY OF PROGRAMS, IF ANY, THAT WILL BE IMPACTED BY SUCH CLOSURE,
  INCLUDING  PROGRAMS  DESIGNED  TO  PROMOTE THE SUCCESSFUL AND PRODUCTIVE
  REENTRY AND REINTEGRATION INTO SOCIETY OF  INMATES  UPON  THEIR  RELEASE
  FROM THE CUSTODY OF THE DEPARTMENT.
    S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.