S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5598
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 8, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Crime Victims,  Crime  and
   Correction
 
 AN  ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to requiring the educa-
   tional and vocational credits earned by incarcerated  individuals  are
   transferable upon release

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 136  of  the  correction  law,  as
 amended  by  chapter  322  of  the  laws  of 2021, is amended to read as
 follows:
   1. The objective of  correctional  education  in  its  broadest  sense
 should  be  the  socialization  of  the incarcerated individuals through
 varied impressional and expressional activities, with emphasis on  indi-
 vidual  incarcerated  individual  needs.   The objective of this program
 shall be the return of these incarcerated individuals to society with  a
 more  wholesome  attitude  toward living, with a desire to conduct them-
 selves as good citizens, and with the skill  and  knowledge  which  will
 give  them  a  reasonable chance to maintain themselves and their depen-
 dents through honest labor. To this  end  each  incarcerated  individual
 shall  be  given a program of education which, on the basis of available
 data, seems most likely to further  the  process  of  socialization  and
 rehabilitation.  Provided  that,  the commissioner, in consultation with
 the commissioner of education, shall develop a curricula for and require
 provision of an education program to all incarcerated individual,  on  a
 periodic  basis,  on  the  consequences  and  prevention  of shaken baby
 syndrome which may include the viewing of a video presentation  thereon.
 The  time  daily  devoted to such education shall be such as is required
 for meeting the above objectives. The director of education, subject  to
 the  direction  of  the  commissioner  and  after  consultation with the
 commissioner of education, shall develop the curricula and the education

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03819-01-3
              

 S. 5598                             2
 
 programs that are required to meet the special needs of each correction-
 al facility in the  department.  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF  EDUCATION  SHALL
 ENSURE  SUCH  CURRICULA  AND  EDUCATIONAL  PROGRAMS PROVIDE INCARCERATED
 INDIVIDUALS  THE  OPPORTUNITY  TO EARN EDUCATIONAL OR VOCATIONAL CREDITS
 WHICH SHALL BE TRANSFERABLE  TO  AN  EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTION  UPON  THE
 RELEASE  OF  THE INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL. The commissioner of education,
 in cooperation with the commissioner  and  the  director  of  education,
 shall  set  up  the  educational  requirements  for the certification of
 teachers in all such correctional facilities. Such educational  require-
 ments  shall be sufficiently broad and comprehensive to include training
 in penology, sociology, psychology, philosophy, in the special  subjects
 to  be  taught,  and  in any other professional courses as may be deemed
 necessary by the responsible officers, and shall include training relat-
 ing to the consequences and prevention of shaken baby syndrome which may
 include the viewing of a video presentation thereon. No certificates for
 teaching service in the state institutions  shall  be  issued  unless  a
 minimum  of  four  years  of  training  beyond  the high school has been
 secured, or an acceptable  equivalent.  Existing  requirements  for  the
 certification  of  teachers  in the institutions shall continue in force
 until changed pursuant to the provisions of this section.
   § 2.  This act shall take effect immediately.