Criminal Justice (Corrections)

Provides that no state or local correctional facility shall deny entry to a person visiting such facility due to the fact that such person is menstruating or has a contraceptive device or appears on body scan imaging or alternative methods to have or be using a menstrual product or contraceptive device.

This bill requires New York State correctional facilities to move incarcerated individuals diagnosed with specific serious mental illnesses (such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression) out of segregated confinement or long-term rehabilitation units into specialized residential mental health treatment units. It mandates this diversion after consultation with mental health clinicians, applying to anyone diagnosed at any time with one of the listed conditions, unless the move relates to a disciplinary hearing. The policy aims to replace prolonged solitary confinement with appropriate mental health treatment for affected individuals. This change directly impacts incarcerated people with qualifying mental health diagnoses currently held in restrictive settings.

Requires incarcerated individual sexual harassment complaints made against department employees to be investigated by the attorney general; makes the findings and recommendations of the attorney general final and binding on the part of the department.

Eliminates certain court surcharges and fees and probation and parole surcharges and fees; eliminates the requirement that a parolee or releasee receiving a merit termination of sentence be financially able to comply with an order of restitution; eliminates the requirement that a person receiving a discharge of sentence be financially able to comply with an order of restitution and the payment of certain surcharges or fees (Part A); mandates that courts engage in an individualized assessment of a person's financial ability to pay a fine prior to imposing a fine (Part B); eliminates the availability of incarceration as a remedy for a failure to pay a fine, surcharge, or fee, lifts and vacates existing warrants issued solely on a person's failure to timely pay a fine, surcharge or fee and ends existing sentences of incarceration based on such failure (Part C); vacates existing unsatisfied civil judgments based on a person's failure to timely pay a surcharge, or fee (Part D); prohibits the collection of a fine, restitution or reparation from the funds of an incarcerated person; prohibits the payment of court fines, mandatory surcharges, certain fees, restitution, reparation or forfeitures from the earnings of prisoners (Part E); vacates existing unpaid surcharges, DNA databank fees, crime victim assistance fees, sexual offender registration fees, supplemental sex offender victim fees, or probation or parole supervision fees; repeals certain provisions of law relating to restrictions on remitting such fees (Part F).

Relates to correctional facility visits by the correctional association; authorizes the correctional association to visit correctional facilities at any time and without advance notice; grants the correctional association access to certain records and information of correctional facilities.

Provides doula services at all correctional institutions and local correctional facilities; requires the department of corrections and community supervision to retain an organization to make at least two doulas at any given time available to provide doula services twice a week, for four hours, at all correctional institutions and local correctional facilities that house incarcerated individuals who identify as female, as well as to provide doula services during labor and delivery, upon request.

Eliminates certain court surcharges and fees and probation and parole surcharges and fees; eliminates the requirement that a parolee or releasee receiving a merit termination of sentence be financially able to comply with an order of restitution; eliminates the requirement that a person receiving a discharge of sentence be financially able to comply with an order of restitution and the payment of certain surcharges or fees (Part A); mandates that courts engage in an individualized assessment of a person's financial ability to pay a fine prior to imposing a fine (Part B); eliminates the availability of incarceration as a remedy for a failure to pay a fine, surcharge, or fee, lifts and vacates existing warrants issued solely on a person's failure to timely pay a fine, surcharge or fee and ends existing sentences of incarceration based on such failure (Part C); vacates existing unsatisfied civil judgments based on a person's failure to timely pay a surcharge, or fee (Part D); prohibits the collection of a fine, restitution or reparation from the funds of an incarcerated person; prohibits the payment of court fines, mandatory surcharges, certain fees, restitution, reparation or forfeitures from the earnings of prisoners (Part E); vacates existing unpaid surcharges, DNA databank fees, crime victim assistance fees, sexual offender registration fees, supplemental sex offender victim fees, or probation or parole supervision fees; repeals certain provisions of law relating to restrictions on remitting such fees (Part F).

Relates to the Incarcerated Individuals Responsibility and Fair Wages Act; establishes a minimum wage for incarcerated individuals of five dollars per hour; establishes a prison incarcerated individual fund where up to forty percent of an incarcerated individual's wages can be sent to their family to help pay for certain expenses.

Requires the department of corrections and community supervision to create a family reunion program to provide eligible incarcerated individuals and their families the opportunity to meet for an extended period of time in a residential setting.

Authorizes certain persons confined in institutions operated by the department of corrections and community supervision to apply for a sentence reduction.