WE DID IT! NY Legislative Passes Omnibus Bill, Which Overhauls the State Commission of Correction
Late last night, the New York State Senate and Assembly passed an omnibus bill, S.8415 (Salazar)/A.8871 (Dilan), which consists of ten prison oversight and accountability bills. Section H of the omnibus bill includes the legislation we’ve been working on to overhaul the State Commission of Correction (SCOC), the watchdog agency with investigative and oversight powers over every jail and prison in the state. This is a BIG win and the most far-reaching oversight and accountability reform in a long time!
It’s a testament to our collective organizing TOGETHER over the last two years! When we organize effectively, WE WIN! Check out this press release following the passage of the bill.
The horrific killings of Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi in state prisons and crises at local jails like Rikers Island – where at least five people have died this year and the federal courts have taken it over – highlight the need to fix the SCOC and ensure New York has an effective watchdog for correctional facilities.
The SCOC is an independent body mandated with the constitutional authority to ensure that correctional facilities across New York – all local jails and state prisons – are “safe, stable, and humane.” It has wide-ranging power to hold jails and prisons in compliance, and can even shut down correctional facilities like Marcy or Rikers that have failed to protect the rights of incarcerated people. But for more than 20 years, the SCOC has consistently failed to meet its responsibility.
That’s why we organized with over 100 community, faith, and advocacy organizations across the state to demand that the legislature fix the SCOC by ensuring it meets its mandate throughout the state. We’re grateful for the diverse coalitions of organizations that came together to help make this possible.
Here’s what the reform does: It will expand the number of commissioners from three to nine and distribute appointments among the Governor, the Senate, the Assembly, and the independent nonprofit, the Correctional Association of New York. The appointment requirements would guarantee a diversity of backgrounds, including in public health, behavioral healthcare, prisoner’s rights litigation, and personal experiences of incarceration. See this fact sheet for more information.
Next step is getting Governor Hochul to sign this omnibus corrections accountability and oversight package into law. Be on the lookout for action steps next week, but for now, we’ll celebrate this important achievement. If you want to support efforts to increase jail and prison oversight, please reach out to Yonah at Yonah@katalcenter.org.
June NY Statewide Criminal Justice Reform Call Recap
Yesterday was our last monthly New York Statewide Criminal Justice Reform Call before our summer break. Last night, the NY Senate wrapped up and the Assembly will go until early next week. On the call, we spent extra time discussing the omnibus corrections package and other important criminal justice bills like the CARE Act and the Protect In-Person Visits Act, which have passed the Senate and still need to get passed in the Assembly by Tuesday.
We also heard from organizers and advocates working on important criminal justice bills which include the Earned Time Act, Second Look Act, Fair and Timely Act, Elder Parole, and the Treatment Court Expansion Act. These critical bills should have been passed this session, and we’ll continue to uplift these campaigns as they work to get people out of jails and prisons across the state. If you want to learn more about our New York Statewide Criminal Justice Reform calls contact Yonah@katalcenter.org.
Weekly Pro-Democracy Phone Zaps
Join us on Wednesday, June 18th, for our weekly Pro-Democracy Phone Zaps! Every Wednesday from 12-12:45pm (EST), we’re gathering on Zoom to call our elected officials.
In the last week, we’ve seen an escalation in ICE raids and detentions across the country. As people stand up and fight back to protect our immigrant community members, President Trump has deployed military force against peaceful protests by activating the National Guard. To make matters worse, this weekend — on Flag Day — Trump is planning a grotesque birthday military parade. In response, tomorrow, Saturday, nearly 2,000 large-scale “No Kings” protests are taking place in cities across the country and beyond to push back against Trumps attack on our democracy. We encourage folks to hit the streets tomorrow to defend our democracy.
On Wednesday, we’ll start by calling our congressional representatives in D.C. to demand they take action to defend our democracy. Then, for those who want to do more, we’ll call our state-based officials about local campaigns. If you’ve been looking for a starting point to take action, this is a great place to jump in!
Join us for our next Pro-Democracy Phone Zap on Wednesday, June 18th. Register here!If you have any questions, please reach out to Yonah at Yonah@katalcenter.org. We hope to see you there!
Katal In the News
- WXXiNEWS: We’re quoted saying “The omnibus bill is a great first step” in response to the crisis unfolding in jails and prisons across New York.
- CBS Albany: Our organizing director, Melanie Dominguez, is quoted saying “Across New York, incarcerated people are experiencing horrible violence, medical neglect, and in many cases, they are being killed by this cruel criminal justice system.”
- City and State: This article discusses the State Commission of Correction bill and the parole and sentencing reforms left out of the omnibus prison reform bill.
Katal Quotes of the Week
These are some of the quotes we’re thinking about this week.
“This hour we are stretching forth our hands with the desire to teach the world the true principles of mercy and justice.” – Marcus Garvey
“We have to do it because we can no longer stay invisible. We have to be visible. We should not be ashamed of who we are. We have to show the world that we are numerous. There are many of us out there.” — Sylvia Rivera, Queens in Exile, the Forgotten Ones
For printing and distribution, download the Katal Weekly Update PDF version.Katal works to develop intergenerational leadership and organizing capacity to build community-based power and win systemic change for equity, health, and justice.
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