Bill Text: NY S04327 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Alters the composition of the state board of parole to include members who shall adequately reflect the composition of the prison population in race, age, and geographic area of residence.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTION [S04327 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S04327-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          4327

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                    February 7, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by Sens. SEPULVEDA, COMRIE, MYRIE, SERRANO -- 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 executive law, in relation to requiring the state
          board of parole to reflect the composition of the prison population in
          race, age and geographic area of residence

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.  Subdivision  1  of section 259-b of the executive law, as
     2  amended by section 38-a of subpart A of part C of chapter 62 of the laws
     3  of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
     4    1. There shall be in the department a state board  of  parole  [which]
     5  that  shall  possess  the  powers  and duties hereinafter specified. The
     6  board shall function independently of the department  regarding  all  of
     7  its  decision-making  functions,  as well as any other powers and duties
     8  specified  in  this  article,  provided,  however,  that  administrative
     9  matters of general applicability within the department shall be applica-
    10  ble  to  the  board.  Such board shall consist of not more than nineteen
    11  members and not less than fifteen members appointed by the governor with
    12  the advice and consent of the senate.   In making  appointments  to  the
    13  board,  the  governor  shall ensure that the membership shall adequately
    14  reflect the composition of the prison population in race and  ethnicity,
    15  age, and geographic area of residence. The percentage of each demograph-
    16  ic characteristic of the members shall be directly proportionate to that
    17  of  the  prison  population.  The  term of office of each member of such
    18  board shall be for six years; provided, however, that any member  chosen
    19  to  fill  a vacancy occurring otherwise than by expiration of term shall
    20  be appointed, in the manner specified above, for the  remainder  of  the
    21  unexpired  term of the member whom he or she is to succeed. In the event
    22  of the inability to act of any member, the  governor  may  appoint  some

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD08845-01-3
        S. 4327                             2

     1  competent  informed person to act in his or her stead during the contin-
     2  uance of such disability.
     3    § 2. The state board of parole as constituted on the effective date of
     4  this  section  is hereby abolished as of January 1, 2024. Members of the
     5  state board of parole as  constituted  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of
     6  subdivision  1  of  section  259-b  of  the executive law, as amended by
     7  section one of this act, shall be appointed  by  the  appropriate  state
     8  official prior to January 1, 2024, so that such board may be fully oper-
     9  ative on and after such date.
    10    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.