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Greene County Legislature votes to ask state to repeal HALT Act after safety concerns
Summary
The Greene County Legislature adopted Resolution 86-205 calling for repeal of New York's Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement (HALT) Act after testimony from corrections veterans and local officials raising staffing and safety concerns at state prisons.
The Greene County Legislature voted to approve Resolution 86-205, asking the state Legislature and governor to repeal the New York State Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act (HALT Act).
The measure, introduced during a special meeting and moved by Legislator Luda and seconded by Legislator Davis, passed with no recorded opposition. The resolution calls on state officials to reconsider HALT because of what county speakers described as a steady rise in violence and staffing strains at correctional facilities.
Retired New York State Department of Corrections sergeant Andy Lachua, who testified during the public safety committee meeting, described changes he attributed to HALT and related policies: "Violence and drug abuse in our facilities are at epic levels." He told the legislature that staffing mandates and changes to disciplinary procedures had reduced available security and increased inmate-on-inmate and inmate-on-staff violence, and urged repeal to restore facility safety.
Legislators and others also linked facility staffing and safety to recent incidents at state prisons and expressed support for county corrections employees. One speaker representing corrections staff thanked the legislature for its support and for a memorial service for a fellow sheriff's employee.
The resolution will be sent to Greene County's state legislative delegation and the governor's office for consideration; the text asks state lawmakers to repeal or amend HALT to restore disciplinary and housing tools the authors say are needed for safety. The resolution record lists Legislator Luda as the primary sponsor and Legislator Davis as the second.
No specific state-level action was promised at the meeting. County leaders said the vote was intended as a formal statement to state lawmakers rather than a county-level change in policy.
Notes: The transcript identified the resolution as "Resolution number 86 dash 20 5." Exact vote counts were not specified in the record beyond unanimous passage.
