FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, December 19th, 2025
Contact: Yonah Zeitz: yonah@katalcenter.org • 347-201-2769
Follow on socials @KatalCenter • #ShutRikers #CutShutInvestNY
Governor Kathy Hochul Signs Into Law the Jail and Prison Oversight Omnibus Bill, Which Includes Overhauling Government Watchdog with Authority Over Local Jails and State Prisons
New Law Expands the State Commissioner of Correction to Five Members and Requires Commissioners Backgrounds to Include a Formerly Incarcerated Person and Health Professional or Prisoner Rights Attorney
Victory Declared by Coalition of More Than 160 Community, Advocacy, and Faith-based Organizations Across New York who Fought to Overall Commission
New York, NY: Today, Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Jail and Prison Oversight Omnibus Bill (S.8415 (Salazar)/A.8871 (Dilan), which consists of ten prison oversight and accountability bills. Section H of the omnibus bill includes provisions to overhaul the State Commission of Correction (SCOC), the watchdog agency with investigative and oversight powers over every jail and prison in the state, by expanding and diversifying the commission to include a formerly incarcerated person. To finalize the deal, the governor and legislature agreed to making some chapter amendments in early 2026, explained more below the statements.
Quotes from elected officials, community groups, and impacted community members about the signing of the Omnibus Jail and Prison Oversight Bill, followed by background details about the final package:
Ziyadah Amatul-Matin, member of the Katal Center, said: “As a sister whose brother died while incarcerated for medical neglect and physical abuse, and a mother of a son who is currently incarcerated in a state prison experiencing horrible abuse, it brings me so much ease that Governor Hochul signed the oversight bill. Even though I had hoped she would sign the bill with no changes, this is still an advancement in protecting our incarcerated loved ones. Through this bill, for the first time, there will be a formerly incarcerated person with voting powers in the State Commission on Correction– a commission that has constitutional authority to ensure correctional facilities across New York are kept in safe, stable, and humane conditions. This is monumental. Thank you, Governor Hochul, mother to mother, for supporting our cause in steps, and for honoring our hard work and dedication as women. Verily, after every difficulty comes ease on all sides.”
State Senator Julia Salazar, Chair of the Senate Committee on Crime Victims, Crime, and Correction, said: “I applaud Governor Hochul for signing a version of the Prison Reform Omnibus Bill into law, bringing desperately needed transparency, oversight, and accountability to New York’s prisons. Although the final legislative package does not include everything we sought, it is still a serious step toward making our State prisons less violent. For too long, our prisons have been plagued by staff abuse toward incarcerated individuals, with little to no recourse. Just last December, prison staff brutally murdered Robert Brooks, a young, Black man. And then a few months later, a different set of prison staff murdered Messiah Nantwi, another young, Black man. These are just two men whose murders we are aware of, but there are plenty of others whose names we will never know. The amended Prison Reform Omnibus Bill is not the end of our struggle. I look forward to ensuring this law is properly implemented and to building on our fight for reform. Our campaign includes parole justice, sentencing reform, expanded pathways home, and treatment in place of incarceration. This is how we will reduce prison violence and make our communities truly safe.”
Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, said: “This package is an important step towards increasing the transparency, oversight, and accountability in our carceral facilities. After watching the brutal lynching of Robert Brooks, and reading about the equally depraved murder of Messiah Nantwi earlier this year, it is undeniable that too much violence takes place in our prisons under a veil of officer impunity. We must dramatically change the culture in our prisons and jails, and this bill brings to bear meaningful changes to do that. The SCOC reform bill in particular faced chapter amendments. The bill we got is not the bill we fought for. But ensuring we have two more SCOC members, including one who is formerly incarcerated, and another who has fought for the well-being of incarcerated people, will be deeply meaningful. The Governor will appoint these commissioners, and she will own whether they are able and willing to actualize the potential of the SCOC to fulfill its self-stated mission of providing “a safe, stable and humane correctional system” — or not. We have an ongoing crisis in our prisons and jails, and we have so much more work to do. I’m deeply grateful to the Katal Center advocates—particularly those who are directly impacted—who fought alongside me these past two and a half years as we fought to make SCOC reform a reality.”
Sharon McLennon Wier, Ph.D., MSEd., CRC, LMHC, Executive Director of CIDNY, said: “The Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York (CIDNY) is extremely pleased that Governor Hochul has signed into law the Jail and Prison Oversight Bill! We worked tirelessly together with the Katal Center and other advocates to ensure that people incarcerated have their human rights and dignity while housed in New York State’s jails and prisons. CIDNY especially supports the need for people with disabilities who are incarcerated to receive their disability-related accommodations such as medications, assistive technology, and other life-changing supports. CIDNY recognizes that this victory is a testament to our American right to advocate and the ability to collectively organize together. The signing of this bill underscores the need for critical reform and is a major step in the right direction. While we are disappointed with the changes made by the Governor, the burden of reform falls squarely on the Governor moving forward by appointing prison and jail reform advocates to ensure that people with disabilities incarcerated in New York State’s jails and prisons can experience humane treatment and do not echo the deplorable history of institutional living experienced by children with disabilities during the days of Willowbrook. At that time, children with disabilities attending the Willowbrook State School were not convicted of a crime but were treated as subhuman beings who experienced physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. No state operated facility should treat a person inhumanely in New York State.”
Reverend Jim Ketcham, Chaplaincy Certification Coordinator of the NYS Council of Churches, said: “We are proud to have been part of this historic effort to improve the oversight of the NYS Corrections system. We will be watching to be sure all elements of this law are implemented and enforced. We look forward to the day when our criminal justice and corrections systems move beyond brutality to reflect both justice and mercy.”
Michael McQuillan, Member of the Social Justice Committee at the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue, said: “The SCOC bill’s enactment into law, thanks to the Governor’s signature today, will over time shift state jails and prisons from lethal to humane settings. We laud her moral action and honor the Katal Center’s coalition formation of faith-based, legal and advocacy groups that share this notable success.”
Kevin “Renny” Smith, Executive Director of Families and Friends of the Wrongfully Convicted, Inc., said: “WE DID THIS! In under a year, the End Prison Violence campaign delivered results: 20 prison guards indicted; 11 of them convicted for the brutal deaths of Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi, with more convictions to come; and the Omnibus Bill package signed into law today that forces accountability, transparency and the protection of incarcerated people. This is a huge victory, but the fight is far from over. Prisons must be places of safety, not of death. #IncarceratedPeopleLivesMatter”
Dr. Shakira Kennedy, LMSW, Executive Director of NASW NY, said: “Thank you to Governor Kathy Hochul for signing the Jail and Prison Oversight bill S.8415 (Salazar)/A.8871 (Dilan). This legislation is step towards justice for the death of Robert Brooks and increases accountability in the justice system. NASW NY commends the tireless work of the Katal Center for Equity and Justice and the SCOC coalition for achieving this reform. We are grateful to be in partnership with this movement.”
Serena Martin, executive director, New Hour for Women & Children LI, said: “We recognize Governor Hochul for acknowledging the brutal and longstanding culture of harm toward people who are incarcerated — harm too often inflicted by the very officers whose job it is to protect them. The signing of this omnibus oversight bill is a first step toward accountability and transparency in our jails and prisons. But we know that as highlighted in a new Department of Justice report, New York State’s women’s prisons rank among the highest in the nation for reported sexual abuse. This is a reality that should alarm every New Yorker and underscores how much further we must go to protect the dignity and safety of incarcerated people.”
Kevin Valentine, Member of the Katal Center, said: “As someone who has been incarcerated in a New York State prison, I can tell you that incarcerated people are subjected to arbitrary punishment that is in direct violation of their constitutional rights. The brutal killings of Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi at the hands of Correctional Officers in state prisons exposed to the whole world what is happening in New York State correctional facilities. It made it so elected officials, including Governor Kathy Hochul, couldn’t turn a blind eye to the injustices happening in state prisons. I believe that Governor Hochul’s long-awaited signature of the Oversight Omnibus Bill is a necessary first step in addressing the horrible conditions in state prisons. However, we continue to call on her to do more and pass much-needed reforms in the upcoming legislative session. Our families, our communities are watching, and we will vote accordingly in the upcoming elections.”
Baron Lee, Member of the Katal Center for Equity, Health, and Justice, said: “I have witnessed the impact that incarceration has on our youth, and communities like my beloved Bronx. It is destroying us. Black and Brown young adults are being sent to Rikers Island where they are experiencing horrible violence and left to languish. This is before the trial! This year alone, at least 14 people have died under the custody of the NYC Department of Corrections. It is a must for Governor Hochul to sign the Corrections Oversight Omnibus bill to address the horrific conditions at Rikers and upstate. I’m glad that this bill will finally overhaul the dormant State Commission of Corrections, which has the authority to shut down facilities that are failing to keep people in safe, stable, and humane conditions– as is the case with Rikers Island. It’s time to shut it down.”
Simone Price, the Director of Organizing Center for Employment Opportunities, said: “Governor Hochul’s signing of the Jail and Prison Oversight Act is a strong step toward accountability, and reflects a growing recognition that meaningful oversight is not optional, it is essential. New Yorkers will continue to actively monitor the SCOC and ensure that our systems value the public’s input, and human dignity.”
Melanie Dominguez, organizing director for the Katla Center, said: “Our members, who have been incarcerated or have a loved one currently incarcerated, have been fighting for this bill for years. While we are deeply disappointed by the changes pushed by Governor Hochul, the legislation still represents a real improvement over the current structure and functioning of the SCOC. Once the law goes into effect, for the first time, there will be a formerly incarcerated person with voting powers on the State Commission of Correction. In 2026, we’ll have to ensure quick implementation of this new law, keep up the pressure on the governor and the SCOC, and make sure that true reform-oriented appointees are seated on the SCOC to advance its mandate to keep jails and prisons in NY in ‘safe, stable, and humane’ conditions. We want to thank our coalition partners for being in this fight together, and we want to recognize and thank Senator Julia Salazar, Assembly Member Martin Dilan, and Assembly Member Emily Gallagher, for their leadership in the legislature to get this done.”
Yonah Zeitz, advocacy director for the Katal Center, said: “For over two years, our members and our coalition of over 160 organizations has organized to increase oversight and overhaul the State Commission of Correction. Today’s signature from Gov. Hochul acknowledges that this commission has failed its responsibility and is in dire need of a change. This is a critical step in the right direction. We thank our legislative champions Senator Julia Salazar and Assemblymember Emily Gallagher for their commitment to bringing greater oversight and accountability to jails and prisons across New York.
Now that the bill has been signed, our advocacy will shift to getting the right candidates appointed and confirmed by the Senate. While we are disappointed that the Gov did not share the appointment authority with the Assembly and the Senate, the entire oversight burden reforms now falls squarely upon her shoulders.”
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Background on the Jail and Prison Reform Omnibus Bill
Community, advocacy, and faith-based organizations across the state have fought for years for greater oversight and accountability in jails and prisons across New York. The brutal killings of Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi at Marcy and Mid-State prison turned a harsh spotlight to the violence and abuse incarcerated people face in New York State’s prison system. Local jails are no better. In NYC, the crisis at Rikers is also worsening; at least 14 incarcerated people this year died while incarcerated in city jails, and at least 47 people have died in DOC custody since Eric Adams became mayor in 2022.
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.” But for more than 20 years, the SCOC has consistently failed to meet its responsibility. That is why a coalition of more than 160 community, advocacy, and faith-based organizations has called on Gov. Hochul to swiftly sign the Jail and Prison Oversight Omnibus Bill into law, to overhaul the SCOC.
The original proposal called for 6 new commissioners to be added to the existing three-seat commission, and also required a diversity of backgrounds for people appointed to the commission, including appointing a formerly incarcerated person, and people with behavioral health and public health expertise. The proposal also called for the Senate, Assembly, and the Correctional Association of NY to each be able to make a select number of appointments to the commission.
It was not an easy fight to get this bill signed, as the governor fought tooth and nail to kill this reform proposal. But the statewide coalition kept up the fight for reform, and won significant changes. Here’s what’s in Section H, related to the SCOC:
- First, instead of six new commissioners as initially proposed, there will be only two new commissioners, bringing the total number of commissioners to five. The move from 3 to 5 Commissioners acknowledges the need for reform and is a strong step in the right direction. The quality and dedication of the appointees will be paramount.
- Second, only the governor can make these appointments. But all the appointments must go through Senate confirmation – which gives the public a chance to weigh in during the process.
- And there is a new requirement for a diversity of backgrounds in appointments – so formerly incarcerated people, and people with public health or behavioral health expertise, must be appointed to the commission. This is a big change.
This bill builds on reform provisions won as part of the state budget, where community groups won a range of reforms including requiring the SCOC to conduct mandatory annual inspections of every state correctional facility, local jail, and Office of Children and Family-operated juvenile detention center; creating more accessible grievance procedures, requiring the SCOC to maintain a website to accept written complaints from the public; and establishing authority for the SCOC to conduct private interviews of prison employees, accompanied by counsel or union representative; and private interviews of incarcerated individuals upon the individual’s consent and with counsel present if desired.
The overhaul of the makeup of the SCOC, which has now been signed into law, was the next step in a long-term fight for greater accountability and oversight.
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