Joint – Senate Standing Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Corrections
Chair: Senator Luis Sepulveda
Senate Standing Committee on Health
Chair: Senator Gustavo Rivera
Public Hearing: To discuss the impact of COVID-19 on prisons and jails.
Place: Online: https://www.nysenate.gov/events
Time: 10:00 A.M.
Contact: Carolyn Sheridan (518) 455-2872
Media Contact: Senate Majority Press Office (518) 455-2415
ORAL TESTIMONY BY INVITATION ONLY

SUBJECT:  To discuss the impact of COVID-19 on prisons and jails.

PURPOSE: To receive testimony on COVID-19’s impact on prisons and Jails in New York State

There are over 11,000 people incarcerated in jails and 37,000 people in prisons in New York State. These settings pose a specific challenge for containing a potential outbreak as people are housed in group settings where it is difficult to follow social distancing guidelines to limit the spread of COVID-19. This hearing will examine state and local correctional facilities' response to the epidemic in order to determine what steps New York should take to improve its emergency readiness and to better prepare for future public health crises.

Persons invited to present pertinent testimony to the Committees at the above hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible, but not later than Thursday, September 17. Interested parties can also complete the reply form if they would like to request an invitation to testify or to provide written testimony. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified of means by which to testify and/or in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.

Oral testimony will be limited to 5 minutes’ duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committees will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as early as possible.

Attendees and participants at any legislative public hearing should be aware that these proceedings are video recorded. Their likenesses may be included in any video coverage shown on television or the internet.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Senate, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Senate facilities and activities.