Senate BillIntroduced
S 4976: Allows certain additional privileges to incarcerated individuals when visitation is suspended for any reason.
What S 4976 does, verified January 9, 2026
The bill aims to provide additional privileges to incarcerated individuals when their visitation is suspended for at least seven consecutive days. This suspension can be due to a state of emergency declared by the governor, a local official, or any other reason. During this time, the individuals will receive free stamps, secure messages via electronic tablet, and free phone calls. The state is also authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to implement this new provision. The changes will take effect on the 180th day after the bill becomes a law.
Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTION (2026-01-07)Alert me
Quick answers about S 4976
- What is the current status of S 4976?
- As of January 9, 2026, S 4976 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 CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTION".
- Did S 4976 pass?
- Not yet. S 4976 has been introduced and has not passed either house.
- Who wrote S 4976, and where is it now?
- S 4976 was authored by Sen. Leroy Comrie. Its committee of record is Senate Crime Victims, Crime & Correction.
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions2 total · showing 2
| Jan. 07, 2026 | REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTION |
| Feb. 14, 2025 | REFERRED TO CRIME VICTIMS, CRIME AND CORRECTION |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 14, 2025 · 270 words
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4976 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN SENATE February 14, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction AN ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to allowing certain additional privileges to incarcerated individuals when visitation is suspended for any reason The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The correction law is amended by adding a new section 138-b 2 to read as follows: 3 § 138-b. Suspension of visitation privileges. 1. Notwithstanding any 4 other provision of law, in the event that the visitation of incarcerated 5 individuals is suspended, for at least seven consecutive days, due to a 6 declaration of a state of emergency by the governor, a local official or 7 for any other reason, each incarcerated individual in a correctional 8 facility shall be allowed and shall receive, in addition to any other 9 privilege: 10 (a) seven free stamps per week; 11 (b) two free secure messages per week via electronic tablet; and 12 (c) two free phone calls per week. 13 2. The commissioner is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations 14 necessary for the implementation of this section. 15 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after 16 it shall have become a law. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD06054-01-5
Text of S 4976 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions