BILL NUMBER: S159

SPONSOR: HELMING
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the correction law, in relation to creating a contraband
and drug information hotline

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To provide a resource for people to report any knowledge about drugs or
weapons in our prison systems that may be of harm to correction offi-
cers, inmates and visitors.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Sections 1: The corrections law is amended to provide a definition for
contraband.

Section 2: The corrections law is amended to establish a contraband
hotline.
              

Section 3: Provides an immediate effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Contraband, whether drugs, weapons, drones, cash or any other item smug-
gled into our prisons puts everyone at risk.  Oftentimes, contraband
leads to fights among inmates and violent attacks on correction officers
and other staff. Most recently, there have been a rising number of inci-
dents involving these types of attacks.

Data collected indicates that 2017 marked the most violent year inside
state prisons since 2007, which is the year statistics began being
recorded. Every metric tracked by DOCCS has risen above the previous
year's numbers. This demonstrates the critical need for more to be done
to protect those both inside and outside our correctional facilities.

Additionally, with the opioid crisis on the rise, drug contraband
specifically, can inhibit recovery of those who are incarcerated with
addiction problems. With a constant movement of drugs into and out of
the prison system, access is readily available.

While the New York State Department of Corrections has attempted to
control the amount of contraband entering the State's prisons, we still
regularly hear about contraband being introduced, made, obtained and
possessed. By providing one centralized phone number that allows for
anonymous calls, people can report instances of contraband happening
inside our prisons.

Similarly, in Pennsylvania, after recent staff exposure to unknown
substances, the Governor and the Department of Corrections began imple-
menting several new protocols, including a drug information hotline. In
an effort to keep New York State safe and reverse current trends, this
legislation is modeled after Pennsylvania's new protocols.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.