S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8209
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               June 7, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Correction
 
 AN  ACT  establishing  a  temporary  state  commission to study and make
   recommendations on violence  in  state  correctional  facilities;  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 is hereby created to study and
 make recommendations to the governor and the legislature concerning  the
 causes  and  consequences  of violence in state correctional facilities.
 The commission will place particular emphasis on changes  in  levels  of
 violence  and the causes of those changes, but will not be restricted to
 those topics.
   § 2. a. The  commission  shall  consist  of  fourteen  members  to  be
 appointed as follows:
   (i)  the  commissioner  of the department of correctional services and
 community supervision or his or her designee, who shall serve  as  chair
 of the commission;
   (ii)  the  commissioner  of  the office of mental health or his or her
 designee;
   (iii) the president of the union representing correctional officers or
 his or her designee;
   (iv) the president of the union representing correctional  lieutenants
 or his or her designee;
   (v)  the president of the union representing professional employees or
 his or her designee;
   (vi) the president of John Jay College of Criminal Justice or  his  or
 her designee;
   (vii)  the  executive  director of the Correctional Association of New
 York or his or her designee;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11544-01-9
              

 A. 8209                             2
 
   (viii) the executive director of Prisoner's Legal Services of New York
 or his or her designee; and
   (ix) six members to be appointed as follows:
   (1) two shall be appointed by the governor;
   (2)  two  shall be appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
 and
   (3) two shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly.
   b. Vacancies in the appointed  members  of  the  commission  shall  be
 filled  in  the manner provided for original appointments. Membership on
 the commission shall not constitute a public office.
   § 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.
   §  4. The members of the commission shall be given unrestricted access
 to all state correctional facilities and to receive unredacted copies of
 any documents maintained by such facilities, although documents that are
 confidential under state or federal law may not be disclosed by  members
 of the commission to individuals or organizations otherwise unauthorized
 to receive such documents and all such copies of such documents shall be
 destroyed upon the expiration of this act.
   §  5.  The commission shall publish a final report of its findings and
 make any recommendations it may deem necessary and  appropriate  to  the
 governor,  the  temporary  president  of  the senate, the speaker of the
 assembly, the  chairperson  of  the  senate  crime  victims,  crime  and
 correction  committee  and  the  chairperson  of the assembly correction
 committee no later than two years after the effective date of this act.
   § 6. This act shall take effect immediately and shall  expire  and  be
 deemed repealed two years after such date.