S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
3289
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
January 30, 2023
___________
Introduced by Sen. MYRIE -- 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 authorizing certain
inmates serving indeterminate sentences to receive good time allow-
ances against the minimum terms of their sentences not to exceed-one
third of the actual minimum term imposed
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 803 of the correction law is amended by adding a
new subdivision 1-a to read as follows:
1-A. EVERY PERSON CONFINED IN AN INSTITUTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OR A
FACILITY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HYGIENE SERVING AN INDETERMINATE
SENTENCE OF IMPRISONMENT, FOR AN OFFENSE CONTAINED IN ARTICLE TWO
HUNDRED TWENTY OF THE PENAL LAW, MAY RECEIVE TIME ALLOWANCE AGAINST THE
MINIMUM TERM OR PERIOD OF HIS OR HER SENTENCE NOT TO EXCEED IN THE
AGGREGATE ONE-THIRD OF THE TERM OR PERIOD IMPOSED BY THE COURT. SUCH
ALLOWANCES MAY BE GRANTED FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR AND EFFICIENT AND WILLING
PERFORMANCE OF DUTIES ASSIGNED OR PROGRESS AND ACHIEVEMENT IN AN
ASSIGNED TREATMENT PROGRAM, AND MAY BE WITHHELD, FORFEITED OR CANCELED
IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR BAD BEHAVIOR, VIOLATION OF INSTITUTIONAL RULES
OR FAILURE TO PERFORM PROPERLY IN THE DUTIES OR PROGRAM ASSIGNED.
§ 2. Section 803 of the correction law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 1-b to read as follows:
1-B. EVERY PERSON CONFINED IN AN INSTITUTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OR A
FACILITY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HYGIENE SERVING AN INDETERMINATE
SENTENCE OF IMPRISONMENT, FOR AN OFFENSE CONTAINED IN ARTICLE TWO
HUNDRED TWENTY OF THE PENAL LAW, MAY RECEIVE TIME ALLOWANCE AGAINST THE
MINIMUM TERM OR PERIOD OF HIS OR HER SENTENCE NOT TO EXCEED IN THE
AGGREGATE ONE-THIRD OF THE TERM OR PERIOD IMPOSED BY THE COURT. SUCH
ALLOWANCES MAY BE GRANTED FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR AND EFFICIENT AND WILLING
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06201-01-3
S. 3289 2
PERFORMANCE OF DUTIES ASSIGNED OR PROGRESS AND ACHIEVEMENT IN AN
ASSIGNED TREATMENT PROGRAM, AND MAY BE WITHHELD, FORFEITED OR CANCELED
IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR BAD BEHAVIOR, VIOLATION OF INSTITUTIONAL RULES
OR FAILURE TO PERFORM PROPERLY IN THE DUTIES OR PROGRAM ASSIGNED.
§ 3. The opening paragraph of subdivision 2 of section 803 of the
correction law, as amended by chapter 3 of the laws of 1995, is amended
to read as follows:
If a person is serving more than one sentence, the authorized allow-
ances may be granted separately against the term or [maximum term] TERMS
of each sentence or, where consecutive sentences are involved, against
the aggregate [maximum term] TERMS. Such allowances shall be calculated
as follows:
§ 4. Subdivision 2 of section 803 of the correction law, as amended by
chapter 126 of the laws of 1987, is amended to read as follows:
2. If a person is serving more than one sentence, the authorized
allowances may be granted separately against the [maximum term] TERMS of
each sentence or, where consecutive sentences are involved, against the
aggregate [maximum term] TERMS. In no case, however, shall the total of
all allowances granted to any such person under this section exceed
one-third of the time he OR SHE would be required to serve, computed
without regard to this section.
§ 5. Section 803 of the correction law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 7 to read as follows:
7. THE EXPIRATION OF THE MINIMUM PERIOD OF IMPRISONMENT, AS SET FORTH
IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION 70.40 OF THE PENAL LAW,
PARAGRAPH (A) OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED FIFTY-NINE-I OF
THE EXECUTIVE LAW, AND SECTION EIGHT HUNDRED FIVE OF THIS ARTICLE, SHALL
BE DEEMED TO MEAN THE MINIMUM PERIOD OF IMPRISONMENT REDUCED BY ANY TIME
ALLOWANCE GRANTED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE-A OF THIS SECTION. THE
ELIGIBILITY OF AN INMATE TO RECEIVE ANY TIME ALLOWANCE PURSUANT TO
SUBDIVISION ONE-A OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT OTHERWISE AFFECT SUCH
INMATE'S ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY DEPARTMENT PROGRAM.
§ 6. Subdivision 7 of section 803 of the correction law, as added by
section five of this act, is amended to read as follows:
7. The expiration of the minimum period of imprisonment, as set forth
in paragraph (a) of subdivision one of section 70.40 of the penal law,
paragraph (a) of subdivision two of section two hundred fifty-nine-i of
the executive law, and section eight hundred five of this article, shall
be deemed to mean the minimum period of imprisonment reduced by any time
allowance granted pursuant to subdivision [one-a] ONE-B of this section.
The eligibility of an inmate to receive any time allowance pursuant to
subdivision [one-a] ONE-B of this section shall not otherwise affect
such inmate's eligibility to participate in any department program.
§ 7. Section 805 of the correction law, as amended by section 226 of
chapter 322 of the laws of 2021, is amended to read as follows:
§ 805. Earned eligibility program. Persons committed to the custody of
the department under an indeterminate or determinate sentence of impri-
sonment shall be assigned a work and treatment program as soon as prac-
ticable. No earlier than two months prior to the incarcerated individ-
ual's eligibility to be paroled pursuant to subdivision one of section
70.40 of the penal law, the commissioner shall review the incarcerated
individual's institutional record to determine whether he or she has
complied with the assigned program. If the commissioner determines that
the incarcerated individual has successfully participated in the program
he or she may issue the incarcerated individual a certificate of earned
eligibility. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an incarcerated
S. 3289 3
individual who is serving a sentence with a minimum term of not more
than eight years and who has been issued a certificate of earned eligi-
bility, shall be granted parole release at the expiration of his or her
minimum term, OR WHERE APPLICABLE, AT THE EXPIRATION OF THE MINIMUM TERM
REDUCED BY ANY TIME ALLOWANCES, or as authorized by subdivision four of
section eight hundred sixty-seven of this chapter unless the board of
parole determines that there is a reasonable probability that, if such
incarcerated individual is released, he or she will not live and remain
at liberty without violating the law and that his or her release is not
compatible with the welfare of society. Any action by the commissioner
pursuant to this section shall be deemed a judicial function and shall
not be reviewable if done in accordance with law.
§ 8. Section 805 of the correction law, as amended by section 226-a of
chapter 322 of the laws of 2021, is amended to read as follows:
§ 805. Earned eligibility program. Persons committed to the custody of
the department under an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment shall be
assigned a work and treatment program as soon as practicable. No earlier
than two months prior to the expiration of an incarcerated individual's
minimum period of imprisonment, the commissioner shall review the incar-
cerated individual's institutional record to determine whether he or she
has complied with the assigned program. If the commissioner determines
that the incarcerated individual has successfully participated in the
program he or she may issue the incarcerated individual a certificate of
earned eligibility. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an
incarcerated individual who is serving a sentence with a minimum term of
not more than six years and who has been issued a certificate of earned
eligibility, shall be granted parole release at the expiration of his or
her minimum term, OR WHERE APPLICABLE, AT THE EXPIRATION OF THE MINIMUM
TERM REDUCED BY ANY TIME ALLOWANCES, or as authorized by subdivision
four of section eight hundred sixty-seven OF THIS CHAPTER unless the
board of parole determines that there is a reasonable probability that,
if such incarcerated individual is released, he or she will not live and
remain at liberty without violating the law and that his or her release
is not compatible with the welfare of society. Any action by the commis-
sioner pursuant to this section shall be deemed a judicial function and
shall not be reviewable if done in accordance with law.
§ 9. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeed-
ing the date on which it shall have become a law, provided that the
amendments to section 803 of the correction law made by sections one,
three and five of this act shall be subject to the expiration and rever-
sion of such section pursuant to section 74 of chapter 3 of the laws of
1995, as amended, when upon such date the provisions of sections two,
four and six of this act shall take effect; and provided further, howev-
er, that the amendments to section 805 of the correction law made by
section seven of this act shall be subject to the expiration and rever-
sion of such section pursuant to section 74 of chapter 3 of the laws of
1995, as amended, when upon such date the provisions of section eight of
this act shall take effect.