S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2132
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 15, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. WOERNER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Correction
 
 AN ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to  establishing  a  job
   fair pilot program
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Section 201 of the correction law is amended  by  adding  a
 new subdivision 16 to read as follows:
   16.  (A)  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL ESTABLISH A THREE-YEAR JOB FAIR PILOT
 PROGRAM TO ASSIST INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WITHIN SIX MONTHS  OF
 RELEASE  TO COMMUNITY SUPERVISION OR WHO ARE OTHERWISE WITHIN SIX MONTHS
 OF THEIR RELEASE DATE IN FINDING EMPLOYMENT. SUCH  JOB  FAIRS  SHALL  BE
 HELD  NO  LESS  THAN THREE TIMES PER YEAR IN THE WENDE AND NEW YORK CITY
 CORRECTIONAL FACILITY HUBS AND SHALL BE IMPLEMENTED BY THE  COMMISSIONER
 IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE COMMISSIONER OF LABOR. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL
 APPOINT A COORDINATOR FOR SUCH JOB FAIR IN EACH PRISON WHERE SUCH  FAIRS
 ARE  HELD.  ELIGIBLE INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS WHO RESIDE IN CORRECTIONAL
 FACILITIES IN THE WENDE OR NEW  YORK  CITY  CORRECTIONAL  FACILITY  HUBS
 SHALL  BE  OFFERED  THE  OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE JOB FAIR AND, IF THEY
 ELECT TO ATTEND, MUST BE ESCORTED OR TRANSPORTED TO THE SITE OF SUCH JOB
 FAIR. INDIVIDUALS SHALL NOT BE SHACKLED DURING THE JOB FAIR. INCARCERAT-
 ED INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE ELIGIBLE  TO  PARTICIPATE  IN  THE
 PILOT  PROGRAM BUT WHO RESIDE IN ALBION, TACONIC OR BEDFORD CORRECTIONAL
 FACILITIES SHALL NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE JOB FAIR PILOT PROGRAM BUT SHALL
 BE OFFERED ENHANCED JOB SEARCH OPPORTUNITIES FOR  THE  DURATION  OF  THE
 PROGRAM AS PRACTICABLE. JOB FAIRS SHALL PROVIDE INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS
 WITH HELP IN RESUME PREPARATION, INTERNET EMPLOYMENT SEARCHES, INTERVIEW
 ADVICE  AND  OTHER RELEVANT JOB SKILLS. POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS AND INDUSTRY
 REPRESENTATIVES SHALL BE IDENTIFIED BY THE COMMISSIONER  IN  COOPERATION
 WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND SHALL BE INVITED TO
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03728-01-5
 A. 2132                             2
              

 
 SUCH  JOB  FAIRS  IN ORDER TO ASSIST INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS IN FINDING
 EMPLOYMENT UPON RELEASE.
   (B) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL CONDUCT EVALUATIONS OF THE PROGRAM ANNUALLY
 WITH  A  SUMMARY EVALUATION AT THE END OF THE PILOT PROGRAM. SUCH EVALU-
 ATIONS SHALL INCLUDE RECIDIVISM STATISTICS FOR JOB  FAIR  ATTENDEES,  AS
 WELL  AS  NUMBER  OF  ATTENDEES, EMPLOYERS ATTENDING, THE NUMBER OF JOBS
 OFFERED TO SUCH ATTENDEES PRIOR TO THE END OF THEIR PERIOD OF INCARCERA-
 TION AND OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION ON THE EFFICACY OF  THE  JOB  FAIRS.
 SUCH  EVALUATIONS SHALL BE REPORTED TO THE PUBLIC AND THE LEGISLATURE BY
 DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST OF EACH YEAR OF THE PILOT PROGRAM, WITH RECIDIVISM
 STATISTICS REPORTED FOR  AN  ADDITIONAL  THREE  YEARS  AFTER  THE  PILOT
 PROGRAM HAS ENDED.
   §  2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a
 law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any
 rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act  on  its
 effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such
 effective date.