Senate bill · S6297 (2025-26)
Provides for automatic issuance of identification cards to incarcerated individuals and assistance with obtaining copies of certain documents
New York State Senate
Same as A5989, the matching bill in the Assembly.
Summary
Provides for automatic issuance of identification cards to incarcerated individuals and assistance with obtaining copies of any documents needed to apply for identification cards, including, but not limited to, an incarcerated individual's social security card and birth certificate.
Summary from NY Open Legislation. How we handle summaries
Amends the Correction Law.
From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Nov 2, 2026. About our data
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Purpose, from the sponsor's memo
This bill will make sure that the DOCCS (Department of Correction and Community Supervision) would provide, in collaboration with the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles), an identification card to incarcerated individuals upon their-release.
Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)
Where it stands
Passed one of the two chambers; it still needs the other.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Up for a vote
- Passed one chamber
- Passed
- Enacted
Committee
Correction · New York State Assembly
Also referred to Crime Victims, Crime And Correction · New York State Senate, Ways and Means · New York State Assembly.
Cosponsors
Alicia Hyndman, Chris Burdick and 8 more on Agora
Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.
Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab)- Democratic10
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The sponsor's argument
Why James Sanders Jr. says this is needed
Without proper identification, men and women leaving correctional facil- ities face barriers to secure employment, housing, register for school, open bank accounts, and access other benefits, such as health care. These are all critical elements to a successful integration, and the inability to access these resources due to the lack of proper identifi- cation contributes to recidivism and crime. Ensuring that incarcerated individuals have a valid state issued ID upon release is critical to a successful re-entry in the community. This bill will ensure that all incarcerated individuals will be provided proper identification upon their release. Moreover, incarcerated individuals will benefit from DOCCS' help in the gathering of all relevant documents needed to obtain such identification.
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
- May 18, 2026
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO SENATE
NY Assembly
- May 18, 2026
Passed a chamber
PASSED ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
- May 18, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTION
NY Senate
- Apr 30, 2026
Advanced to Third Reading CAL.408
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING CAL.408
NY Assembly
- Apr 28, 2026
Reported out of committee
REPORTED
NY Assembly
Show full history (6 earlier events)Show less history
- Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTION
NY Senate
- Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO WAYS AND MEANS
NY Assembly
- May 22, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED REFERRED TO RULES
NY Assembly
- May 6, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED REFERRED TO WAYS AND MEANS
NY Assembly
- Mar 10, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTION
NY Senate
- Feb 25, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CORRECTION
NY Assembly