NY State Senate Bill 2021-S307

Senate Bill S307

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Requires a reading proficiency level assessment and dyslexia screening for certain incarcerated individuals

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

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 21, 2022	reported and committed to finance
Jan 05, 2022	referred to crime victims, crime and correction
Jan 06, 2021	referred to crime victims, crime and correction

Votes

- Mar 21, 2022 - Crime Victims, Crime And Correction Committee Vote
  S307
  
  6
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  1
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Crime Victims, Crime And Correction Committee Vote: Mar 21, 2022
      
      aye (6)
      
      Akshar
      
      Bailey
      
      Myrie
      
      Rivera
      
      Salazar
      
      Sepúlveda
      
      aye wr (1)
      
      Gallivan

co-Sponsors

View additional co-sponsors

2021-S307 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A2062
Current Committee:: Senate Finance
Law Section:: Correction Law
Laws Affected:: Add §137-a, Cor L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S6787, A7822
2023-2024: S2304, A1645

2021-S307 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires all incarcerated individuals who do not have a high-school diploma or its equivalent to receive a reading proficiency-level assessment and dyslexia screening upon intake; requires for such individuals who perform below a certain proficiency level to be provided with dyslexia intervention that is evidence-based effective and consistent with science-based research specifically tailored to addressing dyslexia.

2021-S307 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S307

SPONSOR: MYRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the correction law, in relation to a reading proficiency
level assessment and dyslexia screening for incarcerated individuals

 
PURPOSE:

to amend the correction law, in relation to a reading proficiency level
assessment and dyslexia screening for incarcerated individuals.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. The correction law is amended by adding a new section 137-a.

Section 2 sets forth the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The prevalence of dyslexia in the general population is about 20%; the
prevalence of dyslexia among the incarcerated population is more than
twice that, or 48% according to a scientific study by the University of
Texas Medical Branch in conjunction with the Texas Department of Crimi-
nal Justice (2000). Given that illiteracy is a risk factor for criminal
behavior, and that dyslexia is one of the most common causes of reading
illiteracy, screening our state's incarcerated population and conducting
risk-and-needs assessment for every offender will identify this learning
disability. Initiating interventions that are evidence-based, effective,
and consistent with science-based research specifically tailored to
address dyslexia will help prepare these individuals while incarcerated
for a more productive life upon release.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2019-20: S6787/A7822

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
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.

2021-S307 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    307
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 6, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. MYRIE, BAILEY, GOUNARDES, HOYLMAN, 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. IF AN  INCARCERATED
 INDIVIDUAL  DEMONSTRATES  THAT  HE OR SHE 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 INMATE WHO DOES NOT HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR ITS EQUIV-
 ALENT SHALL RECEIVE A READING PROFICIENCY LEVEL ASSESSMENT AND A  DYSLE-
 XIA SCREENING; AND
   (C)  A  PROCESS BE ESTABLISHED IN WHICH INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS, UPON
 INTAKE, ARE ASSESSED AND ADMINISTERED A DYSLEXIA SCREENING, AND PROVIDED
 WITH  DYSLEXIA  INTERVENTION  THAT  IS  EVIDENCE-BASED,  EFFECTIVE,  AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01117-01-1

 S. 307                              2
 
 CONSISTENT WITH SCIENCE-BASED RESEARCH SPECIFICALLY TAILORED TO ADDRESS-
 ING DYSLEXIA.
   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.

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