Assembly Bill A11413

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   11413
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 15, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Zinerman) --
   read once and referred to the Committee on Correction
 
 AN  ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to enacting the "family
   reunification and economic empowerment act"
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1.  Short  title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 the "family reunification and economic empowerment act".
   § 2. Legislative  findings  and  intent.  The  legislature  finds  and
 declares that:
   Family  separation  caused by incarceration has devastating social and
 economic consequences for  children  and  communities  across  New  York
 state.  Existing prison labor systems rely on compulsory, underpaid, and
 non-rehabilitative  work,  which  prevents incarcerated individuals from
 meaningfully contributing to the well-being of their families or prepar-
 ing for successful reentry. Strengthening family bonds during incarcera-
 tion reduces recidivism,  improves  child  outcomes,  and  lowers  state
 spending on foster care, child welfare, and public assistance. A rehabi-
 litative employment and training model that pays fair wages to incarcer-
 ated  individuals,  invests in family connections, and builds marketable
 skills will create a path toward family stability, economic empowerment,
 and community safety. The state further finds that its purchasing  power
 should  be  used  to strengthen families and communities, not perpetuate
 cycles of poverty and incarceration.
   It is the intent of this act to:
   1. Prevent unnecessary family separation by providing  technology  and
 support for ongoing contact between incarcerated parents and their chil-
 dren;
   2.  Create  a  pilot  program  in  New York City that establishes paid
 apprenticeships for incarcerated parents;
   3. Ensure that compensation earned can be used to support  dependents,
 cover commissary needs, and build financial readiness for reentry;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15876-01-6
 A. 11413                            2
              

 
   4.  By  reforming  procurement  practices and opening opportunities to
 incarcerated workers, New York can align its economic policies with  the
 values of rehabilitation, family stability, and community reinvestment.
   § 3. The correction law is amended by adding a new section 173 to read
 as follows:
   § 173. FAMILY REUNIFICATION AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PILOT PROGRAM. 1.
 ESTABLISHMENT.  THERE  IS  HEREBY  CREATED  A  FAMILY  REUNIFICATION AND
 ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PILOT PROGRAM OR "PILOT PROGRAM",  ADMINISTERED  BY
 THE  DEPARTMENT, TO PROVIDE INCARCERATED PARENTS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK
 WITH ACCESS TO PAID APPRENTICESHIP AND  EMPLOYMENT  OPPORTUNITIES  WHILE
 INCARCERATED.
   2. WAGES. PARTICIPANTS IN SUCH PILOT PROGRAM SHALL BE COMPENSATED AT A
 RATE NO LESS THAN FIFTY PERCENT OF THE STATE MINIMUM WAGE.
   3. USE OF EARNINGS. EARNINGS FROM APPRENTICESHIP AND EMPLOYMENT OPPOR-
 TUNITIES PURSUANT TO SUCH PILOT PROGRAM SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO ACCOUNTS
 DESIGNATED FOR THE INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL AND MAY BE ALLOCATED TOWARD:
   (A) CHILD SUPPORT OR DEPENDENT CARE PAYMENTS;
   (B) COMMISSARY PURCHASES; AND
   (C) SAVINGS ACCOUNTS FOR REENTRY UPON RELEASE.
   4.  TRAINING  AND  CERTIFICATION. PARTICIPANTS SHALL RECEIVE ACCESS TO
 VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND  WORKFORCE  DEVELOPMENT  PROGRAMS  ALIGNED  WITH
 HIGH-DEMAND  INDUSTRIES,  WITH CERTIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES RECOGNIZED BY
 STATE AND PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYERS AS REFERENCED  IN  PARAGRAPH  TWO  OF
 SUBDIVISION  A  OF  SECTION THIRTY-FIVE HUNDRED TWO OF THE NEW YORK CITY
 CHARTER.
   5. VIRTUAL FAMILY CONTACT FOR  INCARCERATED  PARENTS.  THE  DEPARTMENT
 SHALL  ESTABLISH  AND  MAINTAIN  A  PROGRAM  TO ENSURE THAT INCARCERATED
 PARENTS HAVE REGULAR OPPORTUNITIES FOR VIRTUAL CONTACT WITH THEIR  MINOR
 CHILDREN,  SUCH  CHILDREN'S  GUARDIANS  OR  CAREGIVERS, AND OTHER FAMILY
 MEMBERS, WHERE APPROPRIATE. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL INSTALL, MAINTAIN,  AND
 MAKE ACCESSIBLE AUDIOVISUAL MEETING EQUIPMENT IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES
 FOR THE PURPOSE OF FACILITATING SUCH CONTACT. THE DEPARTMENT MAY PARTNER
 WITH  COMMUNITY-BASED  ORGANIZATIONS, LIBRARIES, CHILD WELFARE ORGANIZA-
 TIONS, AND FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS, INCLUDING PROGRAMS SIMILAR TO  CHIL-
 DREN  OF  PROMISE AND THE BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY, TO SUPPORT MEANINGFUL
 ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN INCARCERATED PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN.
   6. EVALUATION. SUCH PILOT PROGRAM  SHALL  BE  INDEPENDENTLY  EVALUATED
 WITHIN  TWO  YEARS  OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, WITH FINDINGS
 REPORTED TO THE GOVERNOR, THE LEGISLATURE, AND THE PUBLIC ON THE  IMPACT
 OF  SUCH  PILOT  PROGRAM ON FAMILY STABILITY, REENTRY SUCCESS, AND STATE
 EXPENDITURES.
   § 4. Severability clause. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivi-
 sion, section or part of this act shall be  adjudged  by  any  court  of
 competent  jurisdiction  to  be invalid, such judgment shall not affect,
 impair, or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall  be  confined  in
 its  operation  to the clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section
 or part thereof directly involved in the controversy in which such judg-
 ment shall have been rendered. It is hereby declared to be the intent of
 the legislature that this act would  have  been  enacted  even  if  such
 invalid provisions had not been included herein.
   § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.