Assembly Bill A4584

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4584
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 4, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  CUNNINGHAM -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.
   LEVENBERG -- read once and referred to the Committee on Correction
 
 AN ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to requiring the depart-
   ment of corrections and community supervision to offer  civic  engage-
   ment  courses  one  year before an incarcerated individual is released
   from a correctional facility
 
   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 80 to
 read as follows:
   §  80. REENTERING CITIZENS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM. 1. THE DEPARTMENT
 SHALL PROVIDE A NONPARTISAN AND PEER-LED CIVICS PROGRAM IN  ALL  CORREC-
 TIONAL  FACILITIES  IN THIS STATE TO TEACH CIVICS TO SOON-TO-BE RELEASED
 INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS. THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM SHALL  BE  TO  PROMOTE
 THE SUCCESSFUL INTEGRATION OF FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS, PROMOTE
 DEMOCRACY, AND REDUCE RATES OF RECIDIVISM WITHIN THE STATE. THIS PROGRAM
 SHALL  ENSURE  THAT  INCARCERATED  INDIVIDUALS BEING RELEASED UNDERSTAND
 THEIR CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AND KNOW HOW TO SECURE THEIR  RIGHT  TO  VOTE
 UPON THEIR RELEASE FROM A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
   2. THE REENTERING CITIZENS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM SHALL CONSIST OF A
 RIGOROUS  CURRICULUM,  AND  PARTICIPANTS SHALL BE INSTRUCTED ON SUBJECTS
 INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, VOTING RIGHTS, GOVERNMENTAL INSTITUTIONS,
 CURRENT AFFAIRS, AND SIMULATIONS OF VOTER  REGISTRATION,  ELECTION,  AND
 DEMOCRATIC  PROCESSES.  THE PROGRAM SHALL CONSIST OF THREE SESSIONS THAT
 ARE NINETY MINUTES EACH WHICH DO NOT NEED TO BE TAKEN CONSECUTIVELY. THE
 DEPARTMENT SHALL OFFER THE REENTERING CITIZENS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT  PROGRAM
 TO  INCARCERATED  INDIVIDUALS  SCHEDULED  TO  BE  RELEASED WITHIN TWELVE
 MONTHS, AND EACH INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL SHALL ENROLL IN THE PROGRAM ONE
 TO TWELVE MONTHS PRIOR TO SUCH INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL'S  EXPECTED  DATE
 OF  RELEASE. THE PROGRAM SHALL BE INCLUDED IN THE STANDARD EXIT PROCESS.
 THE DEPARTMENT SHALL AIM TO INCLUDE  THE  PROGRAM  IN  CONJUNCTION  WITH
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05665-01-5
              

 A. 4584                             2
 
 OTHER  PRE-RELEASE PROCEDURES AND MOVEMENTS. DELAYS IN THE PROGRAM BEING
 PROVIDED SHALL NOT CAUSE DELAYS IN DISCHARGE.  INCARCERATED  INDIVIDUALS
 MAY  NOT  BE PREVENTED FROM ATTENDING THE PROGRAM DUE TO STAFFING SHORT-
 AGES,  LOCKDOWNS,  OR  TO  CONFLICTS WITH FAMILY OR LEGAL VISITS, RECRE-
 ATIONAL SESSIONS, DINING, WORK, CLASS, OR BATHING SCHEDULES. IN CASE  OF
 CONFLICT  OR STAFFING SHORTAGES, INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS SHALL BE GIVEN
 FULL OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND A WORKSHOP AT A LATER TIME.
   3. THE REENTERING CITIZENS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM SHALL BE TAUGHT BY
 PEER EDUCATORS WHO ARE INCARCERATED IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES  AND  WHO
 ARE  SPECIALLY  TRAINED  BY  EXPERIENCED  PEER EDUCATORS AND ESTABLISHED
 NONPARTISAN CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS. ESTABLISHED NONPARTISAN CIVIC ORGANIZA-
 TIONS MAY BE ASSISTED BY AREA POLITICAL SCIENCE OR CIVICS  EDUCATORS  AT
 COLLEGES,  UNIVERSITIES,  AND  HIGH SCHOOLS AND BY NONPARTISAN ORGANIZA-
 TIONS PROVIDING REENTRY SERVICES. THE  NONPARTISAN  CIVIC  ORGANIZATIONS
 SHALL  PROVIDE ADEQUATE TRAINING TO PEER EDUCATORS ON MATTERS INCLUDING,
 BUT NOT LIMITED TO, VOTING RIGHTS,  GOVERNMENTAL  INSTITUTIONS,  CURRENT
 AFFAIRS, AND SIMULATIONS OF VOTER REGISTRATION, ELECTION, AND DEMOCRATIC
 PROCESSES,  AND SHALL PROVIDE PERIODIC UPDATES TO PROGRAM CONTENT AND TO
 PEER EDUCATORS.
   4. (A) PROGRAM CONTENT SHALL PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING:
   (I) NONPARTISAN INFORMATION ON VOTING HISTORY PROCEDURES;
   (II) NONPARTISAN DEFINITIONS OF LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTAL
 INSTITUTIONS AND OFFICES; AND
   (III) EXAMPLES AND SIMULATIONS OF REGISTRATION AND  VOTING  PROCESSES,
 AND ACCESS TO VOTER REGISTRATION AND VOTING PROCESSES FOR THOSE INDIVID-
 UALS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE.
   (B) ESTABLISHED NONPARTISAN CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS SHALL PROVIDE PERIODIC
 UPDATES  TO  PROGRAM  CONTENT  AND PEER EDUCATORS. UPDATES SHALL REFLECT
 MAJOR RELEVANT CHANGES TO ELECTION LAWS AND PROCESSES IN NEW YORK.
   (C) PROGRAM CONTENT SHALL BE DELIVERED IN THE FOLLOWING MANNERS:
   (I) VERBALLY VIA PEER EDUCATORS; AND
   (II) PRINTED INFORMATION PACKETS.
   (D) (I) PEER  EDUCATORS  SHALL  DISSEMINATE  PRINTED  INFORMATION  FOR
 VOTING  IN  THE  INCARCERATED  INDIVIDUAL'S  COUNTY,  INCLUDING, BUT NOT
 LIMITED TO, ELECTION AUTHORITIES'  ADDRESSES,  ALL  APPLICABLE  INTERNET
 WEBSITES,  AND  PUBLIC CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ALL ELECTION AUTHORITIES.
 THIS INFORMATION SHALL BE COMPILED INTO A CIVICS HANDBOOK. THE  HANDBOOK
 SHALL  ALSO  INCLUDE KEY INFORMATION CONDENSED INTO A POCKET INFORMATION
 CARD.
   (II) THIS INFORMATION SHALL ALSO BE COMPILED ELECTRONICALLY AND  SHALL
 BE POSTED ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE.
   (III)  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL ENSURE THAT THE WARDENS OR SUPERINTEN-
 DENTS OF ALL CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES VISIBLY POST  THIS  INFORMATION  ON
 ALL  COMMON  AREAS  OF  THEIR  RESPECTIVE  CORRECTIONAL  FACILITIES. THE
 COMMISSIONER SHALL ENSURE THAT UPDATED INFORMATION IS DISTRIBUTED  IN  A
 TIMELY, VISIBLE, AND ACCESSIBLE MANNER.
   (E)  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL ORDER, IN A CLEARLY VISIBLE AREA OF EACH
 PAROLE OFFICE WITHIN THE STATE, THE  POSTING  OF  A  NOTICE  STIPULATING
 VOTER ELIGIBILITY AND THAT CONTAINS THE CURRENT INTERNET WEBSITE ADDRESS
 AND  VOTER  REGISTRATION  INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS
 REGARDING VOTING RIGHTS FOR FORMERLY INCARCERATED  INDIVIDUALS  RELEASED
 FROM THE PHYSICAL CUSTODY OF THE DEPARTMENT.
   5.  (A)  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ENSURE THAT WARDENS OR SUPERINTENDENTS
 AND FACILITY STAFF PERMIT PROGRAM SESSIONS TO BE HELD, AND THAT  PARTIC-
 IPATING  INCARCERATED  INDIVIDUALS  ARE  ESCORTED  TO SUCH SESSIONS IN A
 CONSISTENT AND TIMELY MANNER.
 A. 4584                             3
 
   (B) COMPLIANCE WITH THIS  SECTION  SHALL  BE  MONITORED  BY  A  REPORT
 PUBLISHED  ANNUALLY BY THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING NUMBERS OF INCARCERATED
 INDIVIDUALS WHO ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM, NUMBERS OF  INCARCERATED  INDI-
 VIDUALS  WHO  COMPLETED  THE  PROGRAM, AND TOTAL NUMBERS OF INCARCERATED
 INDIVIDUALS RELEASED. DATA SHALL BE DISAGGREGATED BY CORRECTIONAL FACIL-
 ITY, RELEASE, OR RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF THE FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVID-
 UAL, AND OTHER FACTORS.
   § 2. 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.