Int. No. 574-A
By Council Members Palma, Brewer, James, Koppell, Martinez, Vacca, Mark-Viverito, DeBlasio, Sanders, Weprin, Dickens, Sears, Mealy and Jackson
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the provision of certified birth certificates for certain people being released from a New York city or state correctional facility.
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Section 9-128 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new subdivision c to read as follows:
c. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person born in the city of New York and sentenced to ninety days or more in a New York city correctional facility who will serve, after sentencing, thirty days or more in a New York city correctional facility, shall be provided by the department before or at release, or within two weeks thereafter if extenuating circumstances exist, at no cost to such person, a certified copy of his or her birth certificate to be used for any lawful purpose; provided that such person has requested a copy of his or her birth certificate from the department at least two weeks prior to release. Upon such request, the department shall request such certificate from the department of health and mental hygiene in a form and manner approved by the commissioner of the department of health and mental hygiene. The department shall inform such person of his or her ability to receive such certificate pursuant to the provisions of this subdivision within three days of his or her admission to a sentencing facility. No person shall receive more than one birth certificate without charge pursuant to this subdivision.
§ 2. Section 17-169 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new subdivision d to read as follows:
d. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person born in the city of New York being released from a New York state correctional facility shall, prior to release, be provided by the department, at no cost to such person, a certified copy of his or her birth certificate to be used for any lawful purpose; provided that such person has requested a copy of his or her birth certificate at least ninety days prior to his or her release, from the (a) department, or (b) New York state department of correctional services and the New York state department of correctional services has submitted such request to the department. No person shall receive more than one birth certificate without charge pursuant to this subdivision.
§3. This local law shall take effect 90 days after enactment.
LS # 2020
RCC
12/10/07
11:45 p.m.