Senate Bill S10502

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Establishes access to postsecondary educational programming and creating an educational transfer process for incarcerated individuals

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Current 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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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 15, 2026	referred to crime victims, crime and correction

2025-S10502 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Crime Victims, Crime And Correction
Law Section:: Correction Law
Laws Affected:: Add §137-a, Cor L

2025-S10502 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Expands access to higher education in correctional facilities by requiring the department of corrections and community supervision to provide meaningful access to postsecondary educational programming and to establish a transparent process for incarcerated individuals to request transfers to facilities where such programs are available.

2025-S10502 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S10502

SPONSOR: BOTTCHER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the correction law, in relation to establishing access
to postsecondary educational programming and creating an educational
transfer process for incarcerated individuals

 
PURPOSE::

To expand access to postsecondary educational opportunities for incar-
cerated individuals by requiring the Department of Corrections and
Community Supervision (DOCCS) to provide meaningful access to educa-
tional programming and establish a transparent process for individuals
to request transfers to facilities where such programming is available.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS::

Section one of the bill adds a new section 137-a to the correction law
establishing statewide standards for postsecondary educational access
within correctional facilities. The bill defines "postsecondary educa-

tional Programming" to include academic, vocational, and certificate-
bearing programs offered through accredited educational institutions or
approved training providers.

The bill requires DOCCS to ensure meaningful access to such programming,
including the availability of programs at multiple correctional facili-
ties and the dissemination of information regarding program eligibility
and application procedures.

The legislation further requires DOCCS to establish a formal educational
transfer request process for incarcerated individuals seeking transfer
to facilities offering programs unavailable at their current location.
The process must include standardized applications, review timelines.
and notification procedures.

In reviewing transfer requests. DOCCS must consider educational eligi-
bility. institutional safety. family proximity. reentry planning needs.
and other consistently applied factors. The bill also requires written
determinations for all transfer requests and mandates that denials
include a clear explanation. Educational transfer requests may not be
denied in an arbitrary or discriminatory manner.

Finally, the bill requires DOCCS to publish an annual public report
detailing the number of educational transfer requests submitted,
approved and denied, including aggregated reasons for denials and infor-
mation regarding educational program capacity across facilities.

 
JUSTIFICATION::

Access to higher education and vocational training is one of the most
effective tools available to reduce recidivism, improve public safety.
and support successful reentry into society. Rumetpus studies hay e
demonstrated that incarcerated individuals who participate in educa-
tional programming are significantly less likely to return to prison and
are more likely to secure stable employment upon release.


Despite these benefits, educational opportunities within New York's
correctional systems remain unevenly distributed across facilities,
leaving many incarcerated individuals without meaningful access to
programs that align with their academic or vocational goals.  Currently,
there is no standardized or transparent statewide process through which
incarcerated individuals may seek transfer to facilities offering educa-
tional programs unavailable at their current location.

This legislation addresses those shortcomings by requiring DOCCS to
establish a clear and consistent educational transfer process while
expanding transparency and accountability surrounding educational access
in correctional facilities. By creating greater access to postsecondary
education, the bill promotes rehabilitation, strengthens reentry
outcomes, and advances long-term public safety objectives for communi-
ties across New York State.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS::

Any fiscal impact associated with implementation is expected to be mini-
mal and manageable within existing departmental operations.  Potential
costs may include administrative oversight, reporting requirements, and
coordination of educational transfer requests.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE::

This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law,

2025-S10502 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10502
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 15, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. BOTTCHER -- 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 establishing access
   to postsecondary educational programming and creating  an  educational
   transfer process for incarcerated individuals

   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 137-a
 to read as follows:
   § 137-A. POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL  ACCESS  AND  EDUCATIONAL  TRANSFER
 PROCESS. 1. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE
 THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A)  "POSTSECONDARY  EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING" SHALL MEAN ANY ACADEMIC,
 VOCATIONAL, OR CERTIFICATE-BEARING PROGRAM OFFERED IN  PARTNERSHIP  WITH
 AN  ACCREDITED  INSTITUTION  OF  HIGHER  EDUCATION  OR APPROVED TRAINING
 PROVIDER, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DEGREE-GRANTING PROGRAMS.
   (B) "EDUCATIONAL TRANSFER REQUEST" SHALL MEAN A REQUEST  SUBMITTED  BY
 AN  INCARCERATED  INDIVIDUAL SEEKING TRANSFER TO A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY
 THAT OFFERS POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING NOT AVAILABLE  AT  THE
 INDIVIDUAL'S CURRENT FACILITY.
   2.  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL  ENSURE  MEANINGFUL ACCESS TO POSTSECONDARY
 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS. SUCH ACCESS  SHALL
 INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A) THE AVAILABILITY OF PROGRAMS AT MULTIPLE FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE
 STATE; AND
   (B) THE PROVISION OF INFORMATION TO INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS REGARDING
 PROGRAM  AVAILABILITY,  ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, AND APPLICATION PROCE-
 DURES.
   3. (A) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A FORMAL PROCESS BY
 WHICH  INCARCERATED  INDIVIDUALS  MAY  SUBMIT  AN  EDUCATIONAL  TRANSFER
 REQUEST.
   (B)  SUCH  PROCESS  SHALL INCLUDE STANDARDIZED APPLICATION PROCEDURES,
 TIMELINES FOR REVIEW, AND MECHANISMS FOR NOTIFICATION OF DECISIONS.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD15688-01-6
 S. 10502                            2
 
   4. IN REVIEWING AN EDUCATIONAL TRANSFER REQUEST, THE DEPARTMENT  SHALL
 CONSIDER:
   (A)   THE  INDIVIDUAL'S  ELIGIBILITY  FOR  THE  REQUESTED  EDUCATIONAL
 PROGRAM;
   (B) INSTITUTIONAL SAFETY AND SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS;
   (C) THE INDIVIDUAL'S PROXIMITY TO FAMILY AND SUPPORT  NETWORKS,  WHERE
 PRACTICABLE;
   (D) THE INDIVIDUAL'S REENTRY PLANNING NEEDS, INCLUDING EDUCATIONAL AND
 VOCATIONAL GOALS; AND
   (E)  ANY  OTHER  RELEVANT  FACTORS  AS  DETERMINED  BY THE DEPARTMENT,
 PROVIDED SUCH FACTORS ARE APPLIED CONSISTENTLY.
   5. (A) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ISSUE A  WRITTEN  DETERMINATION  FOR  EACH
 EDUCATIONAL TRANSFER REQUEST WITHIN A REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME.
   (B)  ANY DENIAL OF SUCH REQUEST SHALL INCLUDE A CLEAR STATEMENT OF THE
 REASONS FOR SUCH DENIAL.
   (C) EDUCATIONAL TRANSFER REQUESTS SHALL NOT BE DENIED IN AN  ARBITRARY
 OR DISCRIMINATORY MANNER.
   6. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, PUBLISH AND MAKE PUBLICLY
 AVAILABLE A REPORT CONTAINING:
   (A) THE NUMBER OF EDUCATIONAL TRANSFER REQUESTS SUBMITTED;
   (B) THE NUMBER OF REQUESTS APPROVED AND DENIED;
   (C) THE STATED REASONS FOR DENIALS, AGGREGATED AND ANONYMIZED; AND
   (D)   THE  AVAILABILITY  AND  CAPACITY  OF  POSTSECONDARY  EDUCATIONAL
 PROGRAMMING ACROSS CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES.
   7. THE DEPARTMENT IS AUTHORIZED TO  PROMULGATE  ANY  RULES  AND  REGU-
 LATIONS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a 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.

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Senate Bill S10502

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Crime Victims, Crime And Correction Committee

Actions

2025-S10502 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S10502 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S10502 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S10502 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

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Sponsored By

Erik Bottcher

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Crime Victims, Crime And Correction Committee

Actions

2025-S10502 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S10502 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S10502 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S10502 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments