§ 259-l. Cooperation. 1. It shall be the duty of the commissioner of
corrections and community supervision to ensure that all officers and
employees of the department shall at all times cooperate with the board
of parole and shall furnish to such members of the board and employees
of the board such information as may be appropriate to enable them to
perform their independent decision making functions. It is also his or
her duty to ensure that the functions of the board of parole are not
hampered in any way, including but not limited to: a restriction of
resources including staff assistance; limited access to vital
information; and presentation of an incarcerated individual's
information in a manner that may inappropriately influence the board in
its decision making. Where an incarcerated individual has appeared
before the board prior to having completed any program assigned by the
department, and such program remains incomplete by no fault of the
incarcerated individual, and where the board has denied such
incarcerated individual release pursuant to paragraph (a) of subdivision
two of section two hundred fifty-nine-i of this article, the department
shall prioritize such an incarcerated individual's placement into the
assigned program.

2. The official in charge of each institution wherein any person is
confined under a definite sentence of imprisonment, all officers and
employees thereof and all other public officials shall at all times
cooperate with the board of parole, and shall furnish to such board, its
officers and employees such information as may be required by the board
to perform its functions hereunder. The members of the board, its
officers and employees shall at all times be given free access to all
persons confined in any such institution under such sentence and shall
be furnished with appropriate working space in such institution for such
purpose without charge therefor.

3. It shall be the duty of the clerk of the court, the commissioner of
mental hygiene and all probation officers and other appropriate
officials to send such information as may be in their possession or
under their control to the chairman of the board upon request in order
to facilitate the work of the board.