Senate approves measure letting State Inspector General confidentially take prison sexual‑assault reports after tense debate

The New York State Senate on Tuesday passed a bill to authorize the State Inspector General to confidentially receive and investigate reports of sexual assault in Department of Corrections facilities, after more than an hour of debate and an unsuccessful appeal of a ruling on a proposed amendment.

The measure (calendar 256; Senate print 04/29) passed after floor debate and a voice/roll call. The Senate recorded three negative votes; the bill was adopted and will take effect as specified in the text.

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Salazar, said the measure fills a gap in current reporting options for incarcerated people. “Right now, there is not a mechanism created by the inspector general’s office that would allow for incarcerated individuals to confidentially report sexual misconduct or sexual violence and for the Inspector General’s office to actually investigate those complaints,” Salazar told colleagues on the floor.

Supporters argued the bill implements an option for anonymous reporting that is necessary to comply with the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) and to give incarcerated survivors an independent path to raise complaints outside the corrections agency. Senator Salazar and other proponents cited testimony and reports indicating many complaints filed inside facilities go unaddressed or are met with…