S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5955
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 25, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. DILAN -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Correction
 
 AN ACT  authorizing  a  study  by  the  New  York  state  department  of
   corrections  and community supervision to study the treatment of aging
   prison populations and make recommendations for ensuring humane treat-
   ment of such populations

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  department  of corrections and community supervision
 shall undertake a study of the treatment, conditions and  prevalence  of
 aging  prison populations and what plans, if any, such department has to
 provide for this increasing segment of incarcerated  individuals.    The
 study shall include but not be limited to the following:
   (a)  a  profile  of  the current elderly incarcerated individual popu-
 lation and statistics relating to its demographics including length  and
 type  of  sentence,  age  at parole eligibility, race, gender, region of
 commitment, commitment crime and any other data that may  describe  such
 population;
   (b) projected populations for elderly incarcerated individuals for the
 next five, ten and twenty years;
   (c) factors contributing to the growth in the number and proportion of
 elderly incarcerated individuals;
   (d)  whether,  and  to what extent, older prison populations are being
 provided  with  adequate  or  specialized  housing,  medical  care,  and
 specialized programs that respond to their unique needs and vulnerabili-
 ties,  such  as  the need for wheelchair accessibility or accommodations
 relating to diminished mental or physical capacity, including a  profile
 of such housing, medical care and programs currently provided to elderly
 incarcerated  individuals  and a projection of such provisions that will
 be needed five, ten and twenty years hence;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10074-01-5
 A. 5955                             2
              

 
   (e) provision of specialized training for corrections officers working
 with older incarcerated individuals including what training is currently
 provided; and
   (f) a profile of classification and facilities assigned to such incar-
 cerated  individuals  including  what  institutional  oversight, if any,
 exists to ensure the welfare of older  incarcerated  individuals  within
 each correctional facility.
   §  2.  The  department  of corrections and community supervision shall
 make a report to the governor and the  legislature  of  the  information
 required  under  section  one of this act, its findings and conclusions,
 and any legislative recommendations it deems necessary no later than one
 year after the effective date of this act.
   § 3. To the maximum extent feasible, the department of corrections and
 community supervision shall be entitled to request and receive and shall
 utilize and be provided with such facilities, resources and data of  any
 court,  department, division, board, bureau, commission or agency of the
 state or any political subdivision thereof as it may reasonably  request
 to carry out properly its responsibilities pursuant to this act.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.