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

                                  9255

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            February 5, 2016
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  RICHARDSON  -- read once and referred to the
  Committee on Correction

AN ACT to create a temporary state commission to study  and  investigate
  issues affecting reentry of inmates released from correctional facili-
  ties;  making  an appropriation therefor; and providing for the repeal
  of such provisions upon expiration thereof

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

  Section  1.  A temporary state commission, to be known as the New York
state criminal justice commission on reentry (hereinafter "commission"),
is hereby created to study issues, including  relevant  statutes,  regu-
lations  and  existing  programs involving reentry and re-integration of
inmates released from  state  and  local  correctional  facilities.  The
commission shall investigate all factors that impede successful re-inte-
gration  into  society  and obviate the concept of a second chance.  The
commission shall analyze the impact of existing policies  on  successful
reentry, identify specific obstacles to re-integration and compare poli-
cies  of this state to those of other states and the federal government.
The commission shall collect data from state and  federal  agencies  and
may analyze any current research deemed relevant and appropriate.
  S  2.  a. The commission shall consist of eighteen members as follows:
three members shall be appointed by the speaker of the  assembly;  three
members shall be appointed by the temporary president of the senate; two
members shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; and two
members  shall  be  appointed  by  the  minority leader of the assembly.
Members so appointed shall be representative of community based  provid-
ers of employment, education, housing and other services needed by indi-
viduals  returning  to  society from prison, criminal justice advocates,
and academic professionals in the field of criminal justice. The remain-
ing members shall be the heads of the following departments or  agencies
or  their respective designees: the department of corrections and commu-
nity supervision, the department of criminal justice services, the divi-
sion of housing and community renewal,  the  department  of  labor,  the
department  of  education,  the office of alcoholism and substance abuse

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

                                                           LBD02229-01-5

A. 9255                             2

services, the office of probation and correctional alternatives and  the
division of parole. No person shall be a member of such commission while
such  person  is a member of the senate or assembly. Any vacancy on such
commission  shall  be filled in the same manner as the original appoint-
ment was made. The chairperson of the commission shall be  the  head  or
designee  of  the division of criminal justice services. The vice-chair-
person of the commission shall be a representative of one of the  commu-
nity-based organizations and appointed by the chairperson.
  b.  Except  as  provided  in subdivision a of this section, no member,
officer or employee of the commission shall be disqualified from holding
any other public office or employment, nor shall he or she  forfeit  any
such office or employment by reason of his or her appointment hereunder,
notwithstanding  the  provisions  of  any general, special or local law,
ordinance or city charter.
  S 3. The members of the commission shall receive no  compensation  for
their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder.
  S  4.  The commission may employ and at pleasure remove such personnel
as it may deem necessary for the performance of its  functions  and  fix
their  compensation  within  the amounts made available by appropriation
therefor.
  S 5. For the accomplishment of its purposes, the commission  shall  be
authorized and empowered to undertake any studies, inquiries, surveys or
analyses  it  may  deem relevant through its own personnel or in cooper-
ation with or by agreement with any other public or private agency. Such
commission shall meet and hold public hearings or private meetings with-
in or without the state, and shall have all the powers of a  legislative
committee pursuant to the legislative law.
  S  6.  The  commission may request and shall receive from any court in
the state and from any subdivision, department, board,  bureau,  commis-
sion,  office,  agency  or  other instrumentality of the state or of any
political subdivision thereof such facilities, assistance and data as it
deems necessary or desirable for the proper execution of its powers  and
duties and to effectuate the purposes set forth in this act.
  S 7. The commission shall make a report of its findings, including any
recommendations  for  legislative  action  as  it may deem necessary and
appropriate, to the governor and the legislature no later than the thir-
ty-first of December in the year next succeeding the year in which  this
act shall have become a law.
  S  8.  The  sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) or so
much thereof as may be deemed necessary is hereby  appropriated  out  of
any  moneys  in  the state treasury in the general fund to the credit of
the state purposes account for services and expenses of the state crimi-
nal justice commission on reentry, not otherwise appropriated, and  made
immediately available for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of
this  act.  Such moneys shall be payable on the audit and warrant of the
comptroller on vouchers certified or approved by the chair of the tempo-
rary commission established by this act.
  S 9. This act shall take effect immediately and shall continue in full
force and effect until the thirty-first of December next succeeding  the
year  in  which  it  shall  have  become  a  law when upon such date the
provisions of this act shall expire and be deemed repealed.