S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    830
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 11, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. GIBBS -- 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  incarcerated individuals released from
   correctional facilities; making an appropriation therefor; and provid-
   ing 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
 incarcerated individuals released  from  state  and  local  correctional
 facilities.  The  commission  shall  investigate all factors that impede
 successful re-integration 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-inte-
 gration  and compare policies 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.
   §  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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01949-01-3
              

 A. 830                              2
 
 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
 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.
   §  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 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.
   §  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.
   § 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.
   § 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.
   § 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.
   § 9. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire the thir-
 ty-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  be
 deemed repealed.