New York Senate Bill S03830

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/30/25
• Refer: 1/30/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Relates to available transportation for correction facility visitation; provides for at a minimum, bimonthly free transportation from the city of New York, Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo and Albany.

Summary

S03830 would amend the New York Correction Law to require the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to provide free transportation for people visiting correctional facilities. The transportation must run on a regular basis, at least every two months, and would originate from five specified cities: New York City, Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo, and Albany. The bill ties this service to the incarcerated individual visiting program and requires the department to determine which facilities are served. The bill also requires the department to make transportation information available on its public website and through the telephone number already designated for visiting information under existing law. In addition, incarcerated individuals would have to be notified about the transportation option when they are received into a facility and again if they are transferred to another facility. The act would take effect one year after becoming law.

Impact

If enacted, the bill would add a new section 138-c to the Correction Law and impose an affirmative duty on the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to arrange and fund visitor transportation to state correctional facilities. It would expand access to prison visitation by reducing travel barriers for families and other visitors, particularly those in or near the listed urban hubs, and would create new notice and public-information obligations for the department.

Sentiment

The available bill context shows no recorded committee debate or votes, so there is no direct transcript evidence of support or opposition. Based on the bill’s purpose and sponsors, the measure appears to be framed as a visitation-access and family-connection initiative, suggesting a generally supportive policy intent focused on easing burdens on visitors and incarcerated individuals’ families.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential areas of debate, however, would likely include the fiscal and operational burden on the department, the fairness of limiting service origins to five cities, and whether the transportation schedule and facility selection would adequately serve visitors across the state. Supporters would likely emphasize improved access to visitation and family contact, while critics might focus on cost, logistics, and implementation complexity.