NY State Senate Bill 2025-S6365

Current Bill Status - On Floor Calendar

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Mar 27, 2025	advanced to third reading
Mar 26, 2025	2nd report cal.
Mar 25, 2025	1st report cal.610
Mar 11, 2025	referred to crime victims, crime and correction

Votes

- Mar 25, 2025 - Crime Victims, Crime And Correction Committee Vote
  S6365
  
  4
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  2
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  1
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Crime Victims, Crime And Correction Committee Vote: Mar 25, 2025
      
      aye (4)
      
      Bailey
      
      Harckham
      
      Rivera
      
      Salazar
      
      aye wr (2)
      
      Murray
      
      Rolison
      
      excused (1)
      
      Sepúlveda

2025-S6365 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A5819
Law Section:: Correction Law
Laws Affected:: Add §125-a, Cor L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: A9733

2025-S6365 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to certain information provided to incarcerated individuals upon their release, relating to the payment of funds required by section one hundred twenty-five of this article in the form of an electronic benefit transfer card.

2025-S6365 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6365

SPONSOR: SALAZAR
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the correction law, in relation to certain information
provided to incarcerated individuals upon their release

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

Mandates any financial institution that enters into a contract with the
State of New York to issue release debit cards to incarcerated individ-
uals upon their release, must provide a clear, understandable, and
detailed schedule of fees with each card.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 adds a new section, 125-a, to the Correction Law, requiring
clear disclosure of all fees and charges for release debit cards issued
to individuals leaving correctional facilities. It mandates that finan-
cial institutions provide a detailed and understandable fee schedule in
both physical and electronic formats, covering fees for ATM use, balance

inquiries, fund transfers, and more, aiming to enhance transparency and
accessibility.

Section 2 sets an effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Upon release from correctional facilities, individuals are given their
personal funds on debit cards, known.as release debit cards. While these
cards are intended to aid in the transition back into society, they
often come laden with hidden fees for basic transactions such as balance
inquiries, ATM withdrawals, and monthly service fees. These fees can
quickly erode the limited funds available to the cardholder, impacting
their ability to afford basic necessities during a critical period of
reentry. The lack of transparency and the complexity of the fee struc-
tures make it difficult for individuals to make informed financial deci-
sions.

This legislation requires financial institutions to ensure full disclo-
sure of all fees pertaining to release debit cards. Such disclosures
would be provided in a physical form and, if feasible, electronic form;
and would be available in the six most common non-English languages
spoken by individuals with limited English proficiency in New York
State, thus ensuring equitable access to essential financial informa-
tion.

This legislation also mandates that any amendments to the fee structure
be communicated to the cardholder with sufficient advance notice, there-
by facilitating informed financial decision-making and enhancing the
financial stability of individuals reintegrating into society.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2025-S6365 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6365
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 11, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SALAZAR -- 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 certain information
   provided to incarcerated individuals upon their release

   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 125-a
 to read as follows:
   §  125-A.  NOTICE  OF  FEES  AND CHARGES FOR DEBIT CARDS PROVIDED UPON
 RELEASE. 1. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION,  A  "RELEASE  DEBIT  CARD"
 SHALL  MEAN THE PAYMENT OF FUNDS REQUIRED BY SECTION ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-
 FIVE OF THIS ARTICLE IN THE FORM OF AN ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER CARD.
   2. ANY FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT ENTERS INTO A CONTRACT WITH NEW YORK
 STATE TO ISSUE RELEASE DEBIT CARDS SHALL PROVIDE  A  CLEAR,  UNDERSTAND-
 ABLE,  AND  DETAILED SCHEDULE OF FEES AND CHARGES WITH EACH SUCH RELEASE
 DEBIT CARD.
   3. SUCH SCHEDULE OF FEES SHALL:
   (A) BE PRESENTED IN A CLEAR AND CONSPICUOUS MANNER, BE EASILY ACCESSI-
 BLE, AND WRITTEN IN PLAIN LANGUAGE;
   (B) INCLUDE, BUT SHALL NOT BE LIMITED TO, FEES FOR  ATM  USE,  BALANCE
 INQUIRIES,  FUND  TRANSFERS,  CARD REPLACEMENT, ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE, AND
 CUSTOMER SERVICE INTERACTIONS;
   (C) BE PROVIDED IN PHYSICAL FORMS  AS  A  SEPARATE  DOCUMENT  AND,  IF
 FEASIBLE,  ELECTRONIC  FORMS  AS  A  SEPARATE ATTACHMENT UPON THE CARD'S
 ISSUANCE;
   (D) BE AVAILABLE ON THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE CARD PROVIDER; AND
   (E) BE PROVIDED IN THE SIX MOST COMMON NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGES SPOKEN BY
 INDIVIDUALS WITH LIMITED-ENGLISH PROFICIENCY IN NEW YORK STATE;

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09844-01-5
 S. 6365                             2

   4. (A) CHANGES TO THE SCHEDULE OF FEES AND CHARGES SHALL OCCUR NO MORE
 FREQUENTLY THAN ONCE PER YEAR AND SHALL BE COMMUNICATED TO THE CARDHOLD-
 ER AT LEAST SIXTY DAYS BEFORE TAKING EFFECT.
   (B)  NOTIFICATION OF CHANGES TO THE SCHEDULE OF FEES AND CHARGES SHALL
 BE MADE THROUGH PHYSICAL MEANS AND, IF FEASIBLE, ELECTRONIC MEANS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S6365

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - On Floor Calendar

Mar 25, 2025 - Crime Victims, Crime And Correction Committee Vote

Crime Victims, Crime And Correction Committee Vote: Mar 25, 2025

2025-S6365 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S6365 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S6365 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S6365 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S6365

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Julia Salazar

Current Bill Status - On Floor Calendar

2025-S6365 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S6365 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S6365 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S6365 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments