S 863: Increases access to substance abuse programming for incarcerated individuals whose first language is not English.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 863 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE (Prefiled) January 8, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sens. BAILEY, JACKSON, WEBB -- 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 increasing access to substance abuse programming for incarcerated individuals whose first language is not English 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 628 2 to read as follows: 3 § 628. Access to substance abuse programming for certain incarcerated 4 individuals. The commissioner shall take steps to ensure that incarcer- 5 ated individuals whose first language is not English are able to under- 6 stand, participate and complete substance abuse programs provided in 7 correctional facilities. Such steps may include, but need not be limited 8 to, increased employment of bilingual substance abuse counselors and 9 program staff, translation of program content and materials, targeted 10 programs for non-English speaking incarcerated individuals and other 11 strategies determined by the commissioner in consultation with the 12 office of addiction services and supports. 13 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD02109-01-5