S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    395
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  MYRIE,  ASHBY,  BROUK, CLEARE, COMRIE, GOUNARDES,
   HOYLMAN-SIGAL, JACKSON, KRUEGER, RIVERA, SALAZAR, SKOUFIS, STAVISKY --
   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 a reading proficiency
   level assessment and dyslexia screening for incarcerated individuals
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The correction law is amended by adding a new section 137-a
 to read as follows:
   § 137-A. READING PROFICIENCY LEVEL ASSESSMENT AND DYSLEXIA  SCREENING.
 1.  AS  PART  OF THE INTAKE PROCESS, AN INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL WHO DOES
 NOT HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR ITS EQUIVALENT SHALL RECEIVE A READING
 PROFICIENCY LEVEL ASSESSMENT AND DYSLEXIA SCREENING ADMINISTERED BY  THE
 DEPARTMENT, PROVIDED HOWEVER, NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL PRECLUDE THE
 INCARCERATED  INDIVIDUAL FROM COMPLETING A DEPARTMENT-PROVIDED SCREENING
 THAT IS INTENDED TO BE SELF-ADMINISTERED. IF AN INCARCERATED  INDIVIDUAL
 DEMONSTRATES  THAT  SUCH  INDIVIDUAL  IS  BELOW  THE  PROFICIENCY  LEVEL
 REQUIRED TO BE A  HIGH-FUNCTIONING  READER,  SUCH  INDIVIDUAL  SHALL  BE
 PROVIDED  WITH  DYSLEXIA INTERVENTION THAT IS EVIDENCE-BASED, EFFECTIVE,
 AND CONSISTENT WITH  SCIENCE-BASED  RESEARCH  SPECIFICALLY  TAILORED  TO
 ADDRESSING DYSLEXIA.
   2.  THE  COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCA-
 TION, SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT REQUIRE, BUT  ARE  NOT
 LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:
   (A) TEACHERS AT ALL CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES SHALL HAVE AND DEMONSTRATE
 AWARENESS OF THE BEST PRACTICES OF SCIENTIFIC READING INSTRUCTION;
   (B)  EACH  INCARCERATED  INDIVIDUAL  WHO  DOES  NOT HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL
 DIPLOMA OR ITS EQUIVALENT SHALL  RECEIVE  A  READING  PROFICIENCY  LEVEL
 ASSESSMENT AND A DYSLEXIA SCREENING; AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD01711-01-5
 S. 395                              2
 
   (C)  A  PROCESS BE ESTABLISHED IN WHICH INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS, UPON
 INTAKE, ARE ASSESSED  AND  ADMINISTERED  A  DYSLEXIA  SCREENING  BY  THE
 DEPARTMENT,  AND  PROVIDED  WITH DYSLEXIA INTERVENTION BY THE DEPARTMENT
 THAT IS EVIDENCE-BASED, EFFECTIVE,  AND  CONSISTENT  WITH  SCIENCE-BASED
 RESEARCH  SPECIFICALLY  TAILORED TO ADDRESSING DYSLEXIA.  THE DEPARTMENT
 SHALL ENSURE THAT SUCH INTERVENTION SERVICES ARE  PROVIDED  BY  LICENSED
 PROFESSIONALS  IN  PERMANENT  COMPETITIVE  POSITIONS  IN  THE CLASSIFIED
 SERVICE EMPLOYED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
   3. EACH SUPERINTENDENT SHALL SUBMIT A  PLAN  TO  THE  DEPARTMENT  THAT
 ALLOWS  INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS TO VOLUNTARILY RECEIVE A READING PROFI-
 CIENCY LEVEL ASSESSMENT, DYSLEXIA  SCREENING,  AND  READING  INSTRUCTION
 THAT  IS  EVIDENCE-BASED,  EFFECTIVE,  AND CONSISTENT WITH SCIENCE-BASED
 RESEARCH SPECIFICALLY TAILORED TO ADDRESSING DYSLEXIA.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  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 date.