File #: Int 1023-2024    Version: Name: Requiring the DOC to establish and operate an online scheduling system for visits to incarcerated persons.
Type: Introduction Status: Enacted (Mayor's Desk for Signature)
Committee: Committee on Criminal Justice
On agenda: 9/12/2024
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the department of correction to establish and operate an online scheduling system for visits to incarcerated persons
Sponsors: Jennifer Gutiérrez, Farah N. Louis, Sandy Nurse, Lincoln Restler, Shahana K. Hanif, Tiffany Cabán, Carlina Rivera , Nantasha M. Williams, Chris Banks, Amanda Farías, Pierina Ana Sanchez, Justin L. Brannan, Julie Won, Carmen N. De La Rosa, Darlene Mealy
Council Member Sponsors: 15
Summary: This bill would require the Department of Correction (DOC) to establish and operate an online scheduling system to facilitate visits to incarcerated individuals, provided that DOC shall not require the use of the online scheduling system to visit an incarcerated individual. At minimum, this online scheduling system must be accessible by mobile devices and computers, give the public the ability to request dates and times for jail visits, allow DOC to notify individuals if a scheduled visit needs to be canceled, and provide individuals with a reason if their request to schedule a visit is not approved. If an individual misses their scheduled appointment, they may complete the visit at a later time on that date where practicable. Starting January 30, 2028, the bill requires annual reporting on the number of people who used the online scheduling system to schedule a visit and were approved by DOC, the number of people who used the online system and were not approved by DOC, the number of people who visited an incarcerated individual and did not use the online scheduling system, and the number of complaints the department received regarding the online scheduling system for visits.
Indexes: Report Required
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 1023-A, 2. Summary of Int. No. 1023, 3. Int. No. 1023, 4. September 12, 2024 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 5. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 9-12-24, 6. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - September 12, 2024, 7. Committee Report 9/27/24, 8. Hearing Testimony 9/27/24, 9. Hearing Transcript 9/27/24, 10. Proposed Int. No. 1023-A - 3/10/25, 11. Committee Report 3/12/25, 12. Hearing Transcript 3/12/25, 13. March 12, 2025 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 14. Int. No. 1023-A (FINAL), 15. Fiscal Impact Statement - City Council, 16. Fiscal Impact Statement - OMB
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
3/12/2025AJennifer Gutiérrez City Council Approved by CouncilPass Action details Meeting details Not available
3/12/2025*Jennifer Gutiérrez Committee on Criminal Justice Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
3/12/2025*Jennifer Gutiérrez Committee on Criminal Justice Amendment Proposed by Comm  Action details Meeting details Not available
3/12/2025*Jennifer Gutiérrez Committee on Criminal Justice Amended by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
3/12/2025AJennifer Gutiérrez Committee on Criminal Justice Approved by CommitteePass Action details Meeting details Not available
9/27/2024*Jennifer Gutiérrez Committee on Criminal Justice Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
9/27/2024*Jennifer Gutiérrez Committee on Criminal Justice Laid Over by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
9/12/2024*Jennifer Gutiérrez City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
9/12/2024*Jennifer Gutiérrez City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available

Int. No. 1023-A

 

By Council Members Gutiérrez, Louis, Nurse, Restler, Hanif, Cabán, Rivera, Williams, Banks, Farías, Sanchez, Brannan, Won, De La Rosa and Mealy

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the department of correction to establish and operate an online scheduling system for visits to incarcerated persons

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 9 of the administrative code is amended by adding a new section 9-170 to read as follows:

§ 9-170 Online visitation scheduling system.

a. The department, in consultation with the department of information technology and telecommunications, shall establish and operate an online system for scheduling in person visits and tele-visits with incarcerated persons in the custody of the department, provided the department shall not require the use of such system to visit an incarcerated person in person at a facility of the department. Such online system shall be accessible using computers and mobile devices and shall include, but need not be limited to:

1. The ability for a person to request a date and time to visit an incarcerated person and, following approval by the department of a date and time, to reserve such date and time;

2. The ability for a person who has used such system to schedule a visit with an incarcerated person to cancel such visit; and

3. The ability for the department to notify a person who has used such system to schedule a visit with an incarcerated person that such visit must be canceled, provided that any such notification shall be made as soon as practicable after the department becomes aware of the circumstances requiring such cancellation.

b. A person who has used the online system to reserve a date and time for a visit with an incarcerated person and who arrives at a facility after such time may visit such incarcerated person at a later time on such date where practicable considering factors including, but not limited to, the presence of other visitors, staff availability and compliance with applicable minimum standards of the board of correction set forth in chapter 1 of title 40 of the rules of the city of New York. 

c. The department shall limit access to information collected through the online system required by this section, in accordance with section 23-1202.

d. A person who has used the online system to request a date and time for a visit with an incarcerated person and is not approved by the department to reserve such date and time shall receive the reason for which the department did not approve the request.

e. By January 30, 2028, and annually thereafter, the department shall provide to the council and publish on its website a report regarding participation in the online scheduling system for visits for the previous calendar year. Such report shall include the following information:

1. The number of people who used the online scheduling system to reserve a date and time to visit an incarcerated individual and were approved by the department for such visit;

2. The number of people who visited an incarcerated individual and did not use the online scheduling system;

3. The number of complaints the department received regarding the online scheduling system for visits; and

4. The number of individuals who used the online system to request a date and time for a visit with an incarcerated person and were not approved by the department for such visit, disaggregated by the reason the request was not approved.

§ 2. This local law takes effect 2 years after it becomes a law.

 

JW/NEM

LS #15709

3/4/25 8:45pm