A 6640: Enacts the "correctional abuse accountability act"; requires actions by the department if a correctional officer seriously harms or is responsible for the death of an incarcerated individual.
This act aims to improve accountability and safety in correctional facilities. It introduces a new subdivision to the Correction Law, which requires that a correctional officer involved in the serious injury, harm, or maltreatment of an incarcerated individual be immediately removed from their position and placed in a different role with no direct contact with incarcerated individuals. If an officer is charged with involvement in the homicide of an incarcerated individual, they shall be placed on leave during the investigation. If found guilty, their employment with the department shall be terminated immediately. The new subdivision does not shield the officer from civil or criminal action, and a department investigation does not need to be completed before a civil or criminal action can be commenced. The act takes effect immediately.
- What is the current status of A 6640?
- As of January 10, 2026, A 6640 is recorded as "Introduced": it has been introduced and is waiting for its first committee hearing or floor vote. The last recorded action, on January 7, 2026, was "referred to correction".
- Did A 6640 pass?
- Not yet. A 6640 has been introduced and has not passed either house.
- Who wrote A 6640, and where is it now?
- A 6640 was authored by Asm. Stefani Zinerman. Its committee of record is Assembly Correction.
| Jan. 07, 2026 | referred to correction |
| Mar. 06, 2025 | referred to correction |
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6640 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY March 6, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. ZINERMAN -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Correction AN ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to correctional officer conduct and penalty for maltreatment of an incarcerated individual The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as 2 the "correctional abuse accountability act". 3 § 2. Section 137 of the correction law is amended by adding a new 4 subdivision 5-a to read as follows: 5 5-a. (a) If a department correctional officer is involved in the seri- 6 ous injury, harm, or other maltreatment, as provided for in subdivision 7 five of this section, of an incarcerated individual, such officer shall 8 be removed immediately and placed into a different position within the 9 department in which the officer shall have no direct contact with any 10 incarcerated individual. 11 (b) If a department correctional officer is charged with involvement 12 in the homicide of an incarcerated individual, such officer shall be 13 placed on leave during the course of the department's investigation. If 14 the officer is found to have been involved in the homicide, such offi- 15 cer's employment with the department shall be terminated immediately. 16 (c) No provision of this subdivision shall be interpreted as shielding 17 such an officer from civil or criminal action. Department investigation 18 need not be completed or have implicated the officer before a civil or 19 criminal action may be commenced. 20 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD09229-02-5