Prohibits charging a fee to obtain a certified copy or certified transcript of birth when the department of corrections and community supervision or a local correctional facility requests such for an individual under community supervision in connection with such individual's ongoing supervision in the community.
Summary
A01719 amends the Public Health Law to expand existing no-fee rules for vital records so that a certified copy or certified transcript of a birth record may be obtained without charge when requested by the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) or a local correctional facility on behalf of an individual under community supervision. The bill specifically ties this free access to records needed in connection with ongoing supervision in the community, and it also preserves the existing no-fee access for incarcerated individuals preparing for release, certain youth in foster care or state custody, and related administrative uses.
The bill also makes a conforming change to the New York City vital records fee statute, clarifying that the Department of Health may not charge the same fee in these DOCCS-requested cases. In both the statewide and New York City provisions, the bill states that a sentence and commitment order or certificate of conviction will count as sufficient authorization for DOCCS to request the record on the individual’s behalf, eliminating the need for any additional authorization.
Impact
The bill would reduce or eliminate vital-records fees for a narrow set of correctional and post-release cases, shifting the cost of obtaining certified birth records from supervised individuals to the state or local correctional system when the request is made by DOCCS or a local correctional facility. It amends sections 4174 and 4179 of the Public Health Law, affecting the Department of Health, DOCCS, local correctional facilities, and individuals on community supervision who need birth records for supervision-related purposes.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong support and no recorded opposition in committee, with unanimous favorable votes in both the Assembly Health Committee and the Assembly Ways and Means Committee. That pattern suggests the bill was viewed as a practical, low-conflict administrative measure aimed at easing reentry and supervision-related paperwork burdens for affected individuals.
Contention
No committee transcript is available, and the recorded votes show no dissent, so there is little evidence of active controversy. Any potential point of discussion would likely center on whether the state should absorb the cost of these records for people under community supervision, but the bill’s language and unanimous committee approval indicate that this issue did not generate notable opposition in the available record.
Same As
Prohibits charging a fee to obtain a certified copy or certified transcript of birth when the department of corrections and community supervision or a local correctional facility requests such for an individual under community supervision in connection with such individual's ongoing supervision in the community.
Prohibits charging a fee to obtain a certified copy or certified transcript of birth when the department of corrections and community supervision or a local correctional facility requests such for an individual under community supervision in connection with such individual's ongoing supervision in the community.
Prohibits charging a fee to obtain a certified copy or certified transcript of birth when the department of corrections and community supervision or a local correctional facility requests such for an individual under community supervision in connection with his or her ongoing supervision in the community.
Requires the department of corrections and community supervision to provide body-worn cameras to certain individuals visiting correctional facilities and provide those individuals with the footage from such cameras.
Requires the department of corrections and community supervision to provide body-worn cameras to certain individuals visiting correctional facilities and provide those individuals with the footage from such cameras.
Requires the commissioner of corrections and community supervision to make correctional facility water testing results accessible directly, upon request, to incarcerated individuals and correctional facility staff in such facilities and make such water testing results available to the public on the website of the department.
Requires the commissioner of corrections and community supervision to make correctional facility water testing results accessible directly, upon request, to incarcerated individuals and correctional facility staff in such facilities and make such water testing results available to the public on the website of the department.
Relates to the department of correction and community supervision's role with respect to discharge planning to assist incarcerated individuals in obtaining housing before release to community supervision.
Relates to the department of correction and community supervision's role with respect to discharge planning to assist incarcerated individuals in obtaining housing before release to community supervision.