Directs the department of corrections and community supervision to conduct a comprehensive study on deaths in correctional facilities within New York state

Latest action Jan 7, 2026

Directs the department of corrections and community supervision to conduct a comprehensive study on deaths in correctional facilities within New York state to provide data-driven insights and recommendations to improve prison conditions, healthcare, and policies to prevent future tragedies.

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Where it stands

Out of committee and scheduled for a vote by the full chamber.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

New York State Senate

Same as A5982, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Committee

Correction · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Crime Victims, Crime And Correction · New York State Senate.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

To address the persistently high number of deaths in New York's correc- tional facilities by conducting a study to identify systemic issues and recommend improvements for the health and safety of incarcerated indi- viduals.

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Recorded votes

Vote: Committee vote · Crime Victims, Crime And Correction
Senate Crime Victims, Crime And CorrectionApr 8, 2025Result: passed
(7) (0) (0) (0)

Cosponsors

Andrew Hevesi, Dana Levenberg and 4 more on Agora

Democratic6

See the full list on nysenate.gov

The sponsor's argument

Why James Sanders Jr. says this is needed

In New York State prisons, someone dies every three days, a stark increase from the rate in 1976 of one death every twelve days. Detailed on June 29, 2023 in an online news article by THE CITY, this pattern has persisted, with 111 deaths in 2022 and consistent figures in the preced- ing years, 134 in 2021, 115 in 2020, 113 in 2019, and 137 in 2018. A 2021 study by the Center for Justice at Columbia University further contextualizes the gravity of the situation, noting that the past decade has seen more deaths in state custody than the total number of executions over the 364 years that the death penalty was in effect in New York. This legislation would require a comprehensive study to delve into these high mortality rates, seeking to understand their causes and the effec- tiveness of current health and safety protocols. This study will evalu- ate the effectiveness of current health and safety protocols and conduct a comprehensive review of healthcare services and institutional prac- tices. The goal is to generate well-considered recommendations aimed at improving the health and safety of those incarcerated, demonstrating a deliberate and informed effort to address this significant issue.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Full history

Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CORRECTION
NY Assembly
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTION
NY Senate
Apr 8, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
NY Senate
Feb 25, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CORRECTION
NY Assembly
Jan 30, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTION
NY Senate

About this record

Summary: The summary comes from NY Open Legislation, the New York State Senate's public record. For more, see How we handle summaries.
Cosponsors: The list shows the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.
Party colors: Parties are shown in the same neutral colors.
Source: From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Nov 2, 2026. About our data

Read the record

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.

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