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Assembly approves corrections chapter amendment to expand camera coverage, hotline and post-release lookback
Summary
The Assembly passed a chapter amendment to the corrections omnibus (Assembly 9516) expanding in-facility and in-vehicle camera coverage, creating a confidential hotline for incarcerated people to the Corrections Association of New York, and adding a two-year post-release look-back for some civil claims; vote 98–43.
The New York State Assembly on Jan. 27 approved a chapter amendment to a previously enacted corrections omnibus package that expands camera coverage, adds a hotline for incarcerated people, and adjusts several procedural and investigatory rules. The bill passed 98–43 and will take effect immediately.
Sponsor Mister Delon told the chamber the amendment requires disclosure of footage to the Office of Special Investigations within 72 hours of a custodial death and mandates additional material discovered thereafter be turned over within 24 hours. The amendment also adds in-car cameras to cover transportation of incarcerated individuals, and requires a minimum 60-day retention of routine footage with longer preservation (no less than five years) when footage is tied to a special investigation.
Members questioned whether the commissioner retains procurement discretion over camera quality and storage and whether funding was available. Sponsor and staff said procurement is part of the commissioner's process and that prior budget appropriations (the sponsor cited previously made $400 million appropriations) are intended to cover equipment and retention costs.
The amendment reduces the number of commission members in one panel from nine to five while adding formerly incarcerated people and health professionals; appointments remain gubernatorial, the sponsor said. A new confidential hotline to be administered by the Corrections Association of New York will be programmed into tablets used by incarcerated people; the hotline is intended to provide confidential trend data to oversight bodies while individual complaints will still route to internal affairs or OSI for investigation.
Members also debated a change to civil statutes of limitation: the bill grants some incarcerated people a two-year look-back period after release to commence claims that otherwise would have expired while they were incarcerated. Critics warned the change could create different classes of plaintiffs and invite meritless claims; supporters said it addresses access barriers created by incarceration.
The clerk announced a party vote and the final tally — Ayes 98, Noes 43 — and declared the chapter amendment passed.
