FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, December 3, 2020
New Yorkers United for Justice Applauds Governor Andrew Cuomo For Signing Prison Oversight Legislation
Alexander Horwitz, executive director of New Yorkers United for Justice (NYUJ) today released the following statement on the heels of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signing Senate Bill S8046/Assembly Bill A10194 into law
“The COVID-19 pandemic reinforced the urgent need for transparent and thorough oversight of prisons across New York State. By signing S8046/A10194 into law, Governor Cuomo has moved New York State forward by strengthening that oversight, and allowing experts from Correctional Association of New York (CANY) to access, examine, and inspect all state correctional facilities without advanced notice. This level of transparency will help ensure that incarcerated New Yorkers have fair access to quality care, treatment services, effective programming, and humane treatment, and that New York leads the nation in that respect.
We applaud the Governor’s action, CANY’s commitment to prison oversight, and the leadership of bill sponsors Assemblyman David Weprin and Senator Luis R. Sepúlveda for making this legislation a reality and ensuring that the delivery and quality of correctional services, including healthcare, in New York meets a standard that all New Yorkers can be proud of.”
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