Bill Text: NY A05356 | 2011-2012 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Authorizes the correctional association to inspect residential juvenile detention facilities.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-05-24 - advanced to third reading cal.631 [A05356 Detail]
Download: New_York-2011-A05356-Introduced.html
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K ________________________________________________________________________ 5356 2011-2012 Regular Sessions I N A S S E M B L Y February 16, 2011 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. AUBRY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Correction AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to the powers and duties of the correctional association to inspect residential juvenile facil- ities THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM- BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: 1 Section 1. Section 503 of the executive law is amended by adding a new 2 subdivision 6-a to read as follows: 3 6-A. THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL 4 YOUTH PLACED IN SECURE, LIMITED SECURE AND NON-SECURE FACILITIES OPER- 5 ATED, MAINTAINED OR CERTIFIED BY THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY 6 SERVICES HAVE ACCESS TO A CONFIDENTIAL TOLL-FREE HOTLINE ESTABLISHED BY 7 PRISONERS' LEGAL SERVICES OF NEW YORK PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION THREE OF 8 SECTION FIVE HUNDRED FOUR-D OF THIS TITLE FOR THE PURPOSES OF REPORTING 9 ABUSE AND COMPLAINTS REGARDING CONDITIONS OF CONFINEMENT. THE OFFICE OF 10 CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES SHALL ALLOW PRISONERS' LEGAL SERVICES OF 11 NEW YORK QUARTERLY ACCESS TO SUCH FACILITIES TO ADVISE THE YOUTH OF 12 THEIR PROCEDURAL AND SUBSTANTIVE RIGHTS AND INFORM SUCH YOUTH OF THE 13 HOTLINE. 14 S 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 504-c to 15 read as follows: 16 S 504-C. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW 17 YORK. 1. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, THE 18 CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK, BY SUCH COMMITTEES AS THEY SHALL 19 FROM TIME TO TIME APPOINT, SHALL HAVE THE POWER, AUTHORITY AND DUTY TO 20 REGULARLY VISIT, INSPECT, AND EXAMINE ALL SECURE, LIMITED SECURE AND 21 NON-SECURE FACILITIES OPERATED, MAINTAINED OR CERTIFIED BY THE OFFICE OF 22 CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, INCLUDING ALL PROPERTY, DOCUMENTS, 23 RECORDS, POLICIES, PROCEDURES, STAFF AND ALL SUCH OTHER THINGS MAIN- 24 TAINED OR CONTROLLED BY SUCH FACILITIES. EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD04696-01-1 A. 5356 2 1 2. THE CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT 2 UNANNOUNCED VISITS AT ALL SECURE, LIMITED SECURE AND NON-SECURE FACILI- 3 TIES OPERATED, MAINTAINED OR CERTIFIED BY THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND 4 FAMILY SERVICES TO ENSURE THE WELFARE OF THE YOUTH IS PROTECTED. THE 5 CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO RECEIVE AND REVIEW 6 COPIES OF ALL INCIDENT REPORTS INVOLVING YOUTH RESIDING IN SUCH FACILI- 7 TIES. IF THE CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION LEARNS THAT A YOUTH HAS BEEN 8 ABUSED AS DESCRIBED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION FOUR HUNDRED TWELVE-A 9 OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW, THEY SHALL MAKE AN IMMEDIATE REPORT TO THE 10 COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, THE STATE- 11 WIDE CENTRAL REGISTRY OF CHILD ABUSE, AND TO PRISONERS' LEGAL SERVICES 12 OF NEW YORK. 13 3. THE CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO HAVE 14 CONFIDENTIAL CONTACT IN PERSON AND IN WRITING WITH THE RESIDENTS AND 15 STAFF OF SECURE, LIMITED SECURE AND NON-SECURE FACILITIES OPERATED, 16 MAINTAINED OR CERTIFIED BY THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES. 17 ALL CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION THE CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION OBTAINS WHILE 18 FULFILLING ITS DUTIES UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL AND 19 ANY LIMITATIONS ON THE RELEASE THEREOF IMPOSED BY LAW UPON THE PARTY 20 FURNISHING THE INFORMATION SHALL APPLY TO THE CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION, 21 PROVIDED THAT THE CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION MAY REPORT SUCH INFORMATION 22 RELATED TO THE ABUSE OF YOUTH AS REQUIRED BY SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS 23 SECTION. 24 4. THE CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION SHALL ANNUALLY REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, 25 THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE 26 CHAIRS OF THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES COMMITTEE IN THE SENATE AND ASSEM- 27 BLY, THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, LABOR REPRESENTATIVES, 28 AND THE MEDIA REGARDING THE STATE AND CONDITION OF THE SECURE, LIMITED 29 SECURE AND NON-SECURE FACILITIES OPERATED, MAINTAINED AND CERTIFIED BY 30 THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, INCLUDING ANY SUGGESTED 31 REMEDIAL ACTIONS. THE INITIAL REPORT REQUIRED BY THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL 32 BE PRESENTED BY THE FIRST OF NOVEMBER NEXT SUCCEEDING THE EFFECTIVE DATE 33 OF THIS SECTION. THE CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION SHALL MAKE ALL REPORTS 34 AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET. THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES 35 SHALL MEET WITH THE CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION AND RESPOND IN WRITING TO 36 THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ISSUED IN THE ANNUAL REPORTS. THE 37 OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES SHALL MAKE ITS RESPONSE AVAILABLE 38 ON THE INTERNET. 39 5. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO ANY CHILD WHO IS 40 PLACED IN FOSTER CARE PURSUANT TO SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY-EIGHT-A, 41 THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY-FOUR OR THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY-FOUR-A OF THE SOCIAL 42 SERVICES LAW OR PURSUANT TO SECTION ONE THOUSAND TWENTY-TWO, ONE THOU- 43 SAND TWENTY-SEVEN, OR ONE THOUSAND FIFTY-TWO OF THE FAMILY COURT ACT; OR 44 DIRECTLY PLACED WITH A RELATIVE PURSUANT TO SECTION ONE THOUSAND SEVEN- 45 TEEN OR ONE THOUSAND FIFTY-FIVE OF THE FAMILY COURT ACT. 46 S 3. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 504-d to 47 read as follows: 48 S 504-D. POWERS OF PRISONERS' LEGAL SERVICES OF NEW YORK. 1. NOTWITH- 49 STANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, PRISONERS' LEGAL 50 SERVICES, BY AND THROUGH THEIR EMPLOYEES, UPON NOTIFICATION OF ABUSE OR 51 A COMPLAINT REGARDING A CONDITION OF CONFINEMENT BY THE CORRECTIONAL 52 ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF SECTION FIVE 53 HUNDRED FOUR-C OF THIS TITLE, VIA THE HOTLINE ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO 54 SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS SECTION, OR BY A PARENT, GUARDIAN OR ANY OTHER 55 CONCERNED INDIVIDUAL, SHALL HAVE THE POWER AND AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE 56 LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO YOUTH RESIDING IN SECURE, LIMITED SECURE AND A. 5356 3 1 NON-SECURE FACILITIES OPERATED, MAINTAINED OR CERTIFIED BY THE OFFICE OF 2 CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, INCLUDING THE POWER AND AUTHORITY TO HAVE 3 CONFIDENTIAL CONTACT VISITS WITH SUCH YOUTH, REVIEW THEIR RECORDS, 4 INVESTIGATE THEIR COMPLAINTS, AND ADVOCATE FOR THEIR RIGHTS, SAFETY AND 5 WELL-BEING. UPON COMMENCING REPRESENTATION OF A YOUTH PURSUANT TO THIS 6 SECTION, PRISONERS' LEGAL SERVICES SHALL PROVIDE NOTICE TO THE LAW GUAR- 7 DIAN, IF ANY, APPOINTED TO REPRESENT SUCH YOUTH. 8 2. PRISONERS' LEGAL SERVICES SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO INSPECT, 9 REQUEST, RECEIVE AND REVIEW ALL DOCUMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH REPRESENTATION 10 OF A YOUTH PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, INCLUDING BUT 11 NOT LIMITED TO, USE OF FORCE DOCUMENTS, UNUSUAL INCIDENT REPORTS, 12 MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH RECORDS, DISCIPLINARY RECORDS AND PROGRAMMING 13 INSTITUTIONAL RECORDS, PRESENTENCE REPORTS AND COURT RECORDS, INCLUDING 14 SEALED RECORDS, WITHOUT OBTAINING AN UNSEAL ORDER. 15 3. PRISONERS' LEGAL SERVICES SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO ESTABLISH A CONFI- 16 DENTIAL TOLL-FREE HOTLINE FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECEIVING REPORTS OF ABUSE 17 FROM YOUTH RESIDING AT SECURE, LIMITED SECURE AND NON-SECURE FACILITIES 18 OPERATED, MAINTAINED OR CERTIFIED BY THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY 19 SERVICES. 20 4. ALL CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION OBTAINED BY PRISONERS' LEGAL SERVICES 21 PURSUANT TO ITS FUNCTIONS UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL 22 AND ANY LIMITATIONS ON THE RELEASE THEREOF IMPOSED BY LAW UPON THE PARTY 23 FURNISHING THE INFORMATION SHALL APPLY TO PRISONERS' LEGAL SERVICES. 24 CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION OBTAINED BY PRISONERS' LEGAL SERVICES PURSUANT 25 TO ITS FUNCTIONS UNDER THIS SECTION MAY BE APPENDED TO LEGAL DOCUMENTS 26 AND PLEADINGS AS A SEALED EXHIBIT. 27 5. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO ANY CHILD WHO IS 28 PLACED IN FOSTER CARE PURSUANT TO SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY-EIGHT-A, 29 THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY-FOUR OR THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY-FOUR-A OF THE SOCIAL 30 SERVICES LAW OR PURSUANT TO SECTION ONE THOUSAND TWENTY-TWO, ONE THOU- 31 SAND TWENTY-SEVEN, OR ONE THOUSAND FIFTY-TWO OF THE FAMILY COURT ACT; OR 32 DIRECTLY PLACED WITH A RELATIVE PURSUANT TO SECTION ONE THOUSAND SEVEN- 33 TEEN OR ONE THOUSAND FIFTY-FIVE OF THE FAMILY COURT ACT. 34 S 4. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall 35 have become a law.