S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    346
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 9, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. JOYNER, SIMON, BARRON -- read once and referred
   to the Committee on Correction
 
 AN ACT  authorizing  a  study  by  the  New  York  state  department  of
   corrections  and community supervision to study the treatment of aging
   prison populations and make recommendations for ensuring humane treat-
   ment of such populations
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  department  of corrections and community supervision
 shall undertake a study of the treatment, conditions and  prevalence  of
 aging  prison populations and what plans, if any, such department has to
 provide for this increasing segment of the inmate population. The  study
 shall include but not be limited to the following:
   (a)  a profile of the current elderly inmate population and statistics
 relating to its demographics including length and type of sentence,  age
 at  parole  eligibility,  race, gender, region of commitment, commitment
 crime and any other data that may describe such population;
   (b) projected inmate populations for  elderly  inmates  for  the  next
 five, ten and twenty years;
   (c) factors contributing to the growth in the number and proportion of
 elderly inmates;
   (d)  whether,  and  to what extent, older prison populations are being
 provided  with  adequate  or  specialized  housing,  medical  care,  and
 specialized programs that respond to their unique needs and vulnerabili-
 ties,  such  as  the need for wheelchair accessibility or accommodations
 relating to diminished mental or physical capacity, including a  profile
 of such housing, medical care and programs currently provided to elderly
 inmates  and  a  projection of such provisions that will be needed five,
 ten and twenty years hence;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD00062-01-9

 A. 346                              2
 
   (e) provision of specialized training for corrections officers working
 with older inmates including what training is currently provided; and
   (f)  a  profile  of  classification  and  facilities  assigned to such
 inmates including what institutional oversight, if any, exists to ensure
 the welfare of older inmates within each correctional facility.
   § 2. The department of corrections  and  community  supervision  shall
 make  a  report  to  the governor and the legislature of the information
 required under section one of this act, its  findings  and  conclusions,
 and any legislative recommendations it deems necessary no later than one
 year after the effective date of this act.
   § 3. To the maximum extent feasible, the department of corrections and
 community supervision shall be entitled to request and receive and shall
 utilize  and be provided with such facilities, resources and data of any
 court, department, division, board, bureau, commission or agency of  the
 state  or any political subdivision thereof as it may reasonably request
 to carry out properly its responsibilities pursuant to this act.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.