Prohibits any police officer, peace officer or employee of a correctional facility from interfering with the provision of medical assistance to an incarcerated individual.
Summary
This bill would amend the New York Executive Law to create a new offense for interfering with medical assistance to an incarcerated individual. It defines the covered actors as police officers, peace officers, and employees of correctional facilities, and it prohibits them from obstructing the provision of medical care to a person who is incarcerated.
The bill makes a violation a class E felony and would take effect immediately upon enactment. In practical terms, it establishes a clear state-law prohibition aimed at ensuring that incarcerated people can receive medical assistance without interference from law enforcement or correctional staff.
Impact
The bill would add a new section to the Executive Law and create a new felony-level penalty for conduct that interferes with medical assistance to incarcerated individuals. It would directly affect police officers, peace officers, and correctional facility employees by exposing them to criminal liability if they obstruct medical care. The measure would also reinforce the legal duty of correctional institutions and related personnel to permit access to medical assistance for people in custody.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented debate or roll-call history to indicate support or opposition. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to be framed as a public-safety and inmate-rights protection bill focused on preventing obstruction of medical care in custody.
Contention
The main point of contention likely concerns the scope of what counts as “interfere” and whether a class E felony is the appropriate penalty for conduct by police, peace officers, or correctional staff. Supporters would likely emphasize the need to protect incarcerated individuals’ access to urgent medical care, while critics may question enforcement standards, potential overlap with existing correctional rules, and the criminalization of staff conduct in high-pressure custody settings.
Same As
Prohibits any police officer, peace officer or employee of a correctional facility from interfering with the provision of medical assistance to an incarcerated individual.
Prohibits any police officer, peace officer or employee of a correctional facility from interfering with the provision of medical assistance to an incarcerated individual.
Establishes the offense of obstructing a police officer or peace officer as intentionally interfering with, inhibiting, or attempting to interfere or inhibit a police officer or peace officer from performing their lawful duties.
Requires every police officer, peace officer and employee of a correctional facility to intervene in incidents of violence involving incarcerated individuals.
Requires every police officer, peace officer and employee of a correctional facility to intervene in incidents of violence involving incarcerated individuals.
Prohibits county correction officers from dispensing medications to incarcerated individuals on the premises of a local correctional facility; provides that corrections officers or staff may dispense or administer medications during a medical emergency.
Establishes an independent office of chief medical examiner in the state commission of correction; requires that every death of an incarcerated individual in a correctional facility immediately be reported to the office of the chief medical examiner; establishes duties and responsibilities of the office; repeals certain provisions relating thereto.
Enacts the medical civil rights act; provides that persons in the custody or control of a law enforcement officer, police officer, peace officer, correctional officer, or other law enforcement representative or entity who are experiencing an emergency medical condition or is medically unstable have the right to be provided with emergency medical services and that such officers, representatives, and entities have a duty to provide such services; provides an exception to such duty to provide emergency medical services.
Establishes a digital legal mail program for the delivery of privileged correspondences to incarcerated individuals housed at correctional facilities; requires law offices sending legal mail via digital platforms to incarcerated individuals to register with the department of corrections.