NY State Senate Bill 2023-S6643A

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Crime Victims, Crime And Correction 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

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 29, 2024	print number 6643a
Feb 29, 2024	amend (t) and recommit to crime victims, crime and correction
Jan 03, 2024	referred to crime victims, crime and correction
May 03, 2023	referred to crime victims, crime and correction

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2023-S6643 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9115
Current Committee:: Senate Crime Victims, Crime And Correction
Law Section:: Correction Law
Laws Affected:: Add §12, Cor L; add §99-rr, St Fin L
Versions Introduced in 2025-2026 Legislative Session:: S4078, A193

2023-S6643 - Summary

Provides for eligible incarcerated individuals to receive a monthly stipend upon release from a state correctional facility.

2023-S6643 - Sponsor Memo

2023-S6643 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6643
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                May 3, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- 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 increasing the amount
   of money furnished to incarcerated individuals upon release

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 125  of  the  correction  law,  as
 amended  by  chapter  322  of  the  laws  of 2021, is amended to read as
 follows:
   2. The superintendent of each of said facilities shall furnish to each
 incarcerated individual who shall be discharged or  released  from  said
 facility  by  pardon,  parole,  conditional release or otherwise, except
 such incarcerated individuals as are released for return for  resentence
 or  new trial or upon a certificate of reasonable doubt, and except such
 incarcerated individuals who are released to participate  in  a  program
 outside  the  facility who are required to return to the facility, suit-
 able clothing adapted to the season in which he or she is discharged not
 to exceed sixty-five dollars in value and transportation to  the  county
 of  his or her conviction or to such other place as the commissioner may
 designate. In addition, the commissioner shall take such  steps  as  are
 necessary  to ensure that incarcerated individuals have at least [forty]
 TWO THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED dollars available upon release.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11075-01-3

co-Sponsors

View additional co-sponsors

2023-S6643A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9115
Current Committee:: Senate Crime Victims, Crime And Correction
Law Section:: Correction Law
Laws Affected:: Add §12, Cor L; add §99-rr, St Fin L
Versions Introduced in 2025-2026 Legislative Session:: S4078, A193

2023-S6643A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides for eligible incarcerated individuals to receive a monthly stipend upon release from a state correctional facility.

2023-S6643A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6643A

SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the correction law and the state finance law, in
relation to providing for money upon release for certain incarcerated
individuals; and making an appropriation therefor

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF THE BILL:

The purpose of the bill is to provide people being released from state
correctional facilities the resources needed to reestablish themselves
by giving a stipend to purchase food, clothes, housing, transportation,
and anything necessary to secure employment in the first six months
post-release.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends the correction law by adding a new section 12 to
establish the "Gate Money Program," define eligibility as those being
released from a state correctional facility after at least six months

who have never received money from this program, sets the minimum and
maximum amounts someone can receive from the program which are to be
adjusted for inflation, and gives the Commissioner of the Department of
Corrections and Community Supervision the authority to promulgate rules
and regulations to establish the program.

Section 2: Amends the state finance law by adding a new section 99-rr to
establish the "Gate Money Fund" in the custody of the NYS Comptroller
and Commissioner of Tax and Finance and makes the fund available to the
Department of Corrections and Community Supervision for stipends pursu-
ant to the new Section 12 of the correction law.

Section 3: Appropriates twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000) to the
Gate Money Fund from the general fund.

Section 4: Provides the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Nearly 11,000 people will reenter society from New York's prisons this
year. Experts often say the first 72 hours after release are critical to
determining whether a former incarcerated individual's path will lead
away from prison or make a sharp U-turn. Nearly 50% of returning New
Yorkers will face housing instability. More than 33% will struggle to
find even part-time employment. Around 50% of New Yorkers are reincar-
cerated within three years of release.

Currently, state law only requires people being released to receive
forty dollars ($40) taken from their commissary account, a bus ticket,
and seasonally appropriate clothing, which must be cheaper than sixty-
five dollars ($65) if provided by the facility. With those $40 dollars,
people are expected to find approved housing, feed themselves, meet with
their Parole Officer within 24 hours (if applicable), secure employment,
and comply with any special conditions.

The Gate Money Program will help address these issues with reentry by
providing people released from state correctional facilities with up to
$2,550 over six months, with the first month's stipend being due imme-
diately upon release, to help cover fundamental needs such as food,
housing costs, court-related debts, and preparation for employment.
Crucially, these funds will no longer be deducted from the individual's
commissary account, as is currently the practice.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

$25,000,000 appropriated from the state's general fund to the Gate Money
Fund

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become 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 effective date.

2023-S6643A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  6643--A
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                May 3, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Crime Victims,  Crime  and
   Correction -- recommitted to the Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and
   Correction  in  accordance  with  Senate  Rule  6, sec. 8 -- committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the  correction  law  and  the  state  finance  law,  in
   relation  to providing for money upon release for certain incarcerated
   individuals; and making an appropriation therefor
 
   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 12 to
 read as follows:
   §  12.  GATE  MONEY PROGRAM. 1. AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING
 TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A) "PROGRAM" MEANS THE GATE MONEY  PROGRAM  ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT  TO
 SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
   (B)  "ELIGIBLE INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL" MEANS AN INCARCERATED INDIVID-
 UAL WHO IS RELEASED FROM A STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY AFTER  SERVING  A
 MINIMUM  OF  SIX  MONTHS  WHO HAS NOT PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED MONEY FROM THE
 PROGRAM.
   2. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL DEVELOP A GATE MONEY PROGRAM  THAT  PROVIDES
 FOR  ELIGIBLE INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS TO RECEIVE A MONTHLY STIPEND UPON
 RELEASE FROM A STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
   3. (A) STIPENDS PAID TO AN ELIGIBLE INCARCERATED  INDIVIDUAL  PURSUANT
 TO  THE  PROGRAM  SHALL BE NO LESS THAN FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS
 PER MONTH FOR A PERIOD OF UP TO  SIX  MONTHS.    THE  MAXIMUM  AGGREGATE
 AMOUNT  ANY  INDIVIDUAL  SHALL  RECEIVE FROM THE PROGRAM IS TWO THOUSAND
 FIVE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS.
   (B) THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION  SHALL  BE
 ADJUSTED  ANNUALLY  FOR INFLATION AS DETERMINED FROM THE INCREASE IN THE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11075-02-4

 S. 6643--A                          2
 
 CONSUMER PRICE INDEX IN THE ONE YEAR PERIOD ENDING ON THE MARCH  THIRTY-
 FIRST  PRIOR  TO  THE COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT EFFECTIVE ON THE ENSUING
 SEPTEMBER FIRST.
   4.  (A)  THE  INITIAL PAYMENT OF A PROGRAM STIPEND SHALL BE MADE IMME-
 DIATELY UPON RELEASE OF THE ELIGIBLE INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL IN THE FORM
 OF CASH OR A CHECK. SUCH PROGRAM STIPEND SHALL BE  IN  ADDITION  TO  ANY
 OTHER FUNDS TO BE PAID OR RETURNED TO SUCH INDIVIDUAL.
   (B)  SUBSEQUENT PROGRAM STIPEND PAYMENTS SHALL BE MADE ON THE FIRST OF
 EACH MONTH BY THE COMMUNITY  SUPERVISION  AGENCY  RESPONSIBLE  FOR  SUCH
 INDIVIDUAL.
   5.  THE  PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO AN INCARCERATED
 INDIVIDUAL WHO IS RELEASED TO THE CUSTODY OF ANOTHER STATE OR THE FEDER-
 AL GOVERNMENT.
   6. STIPEND PAYMENTS PAID PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS  OF  THIS  SECTION
 SHALL  NOT  BE  TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY OR
 CALCULATING THE AMOUNT OF BENEFITS FOR ANY PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
   7. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL COLLECT DATA ON  THE  NUMBER  OF  INCARCERATED
 INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM AND ISSUE A REPORT ON SUCH DATA
 TO  THE  GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER
 OF THE ASSEMBLY ANNUALLY.
   8. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE ANY RULES AND REGULATIONS  NECES-
 SARY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SECTION.
   § 2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 99-rr to
 read as follows:
   §  99-RR.  GATE MONEY FUND. 1. A SPECIAL FUND TO BE KNOWN AS THE "GATE
 MONEY FUND" IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED IN THE  CUSTODY  OF  THE  STATE  COMP-
 TROLLER AND THE COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION AND FINANCE.
   2.  THE  FUND  SHALL  CONSIST OF ALL MONIES APPROPRIATED, CREDITED, OR
 TRANSFERRED TO SUCH FUND PURSUANT TO LAW, ALL  MONIES  REQUIRED  BY  ANY
 PROVISION  OF LAW TO BE PAID INTO OR CREDITED TO THE FUND AND ANY INTER-
 EST EARNINGS WHICH MAY ACCRUE FROM THE INVESTMENT OF MONIES IN THE FUND.
 NOTHING CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION SHALL PREVENT THE STATE FROM RECEIVING
 GRANTS, GIFTS OR BEQUESTS FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE  FUND  AS  DEFINED  IN
 THIS SECTION AND DEPOSITING THEM IN THE FUND ACCORDING TO LAW.
   3.  MONIES  OF  THE  FUND,  WHEN  ALLOCATED, SHALL BE AVAILABLE TO THE
 DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND COMMUNITY SUPERVISION TO PROVIDE  STIPENDS
 PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION TWELVE OF THE CORRECTION LAW.
   4.  MONIES  SHALL BE PAYABLE FROM THE FUND ON THE AUDIT AND WARRANT OF
 THE COMPTROLLER ON VOUCHERS APPROVED AND CERTIFIED BY  THE  COMMISSIONER
 OF CORRECTIONS AND COMMUNITY SUPERVISION.
   §  3.  The  sum of twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000) is hereby
 appropriated from any moneys in the state treasury in the  general  fund
 to  the  credit  of  the gate money fund established pursuant to section
 99-rr of the state finance law in carrying out the  provisions  of  this
 act.    Such  sum shall be payable on the audit and warrant of the state
 comptroller on vouchers certified or approved in the manner provided  by
 law.
   § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law.  Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation  of  this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
 completed on or before such effective date.

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Senate Bill S6643A

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Crime Victims, Crime And Correction Committee

Bill Amendments

2023-S6643 - Details

2023-S6643 - Summary

2023-S6643 - Sponsor Memo

2023-S6643 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

2023-S6643A (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S6643A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S6643A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S6643A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S6643A

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Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Crime Victims, Crime And Correction Committee

Bill Amendments

2023-S6643 - Details

2023-S6643 - Summary

2023-S6643 - Sponsor Memo

2023-S6643 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

2023-S6643A (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S6643A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S6643A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S6643A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments