S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7588
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 17, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of A. WEPRIN, PALMESANO -- 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.
                                                            LBD05507-01-1
              

 A. 7588                             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.