The New York City Council’s Committee on Criminal Justice, chaired by Councilmember Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, met on September 23, 2026, at 9:30 AM at 250 Broadway. The committee voted on Proposed Introduction No. 246-A, a bill requiring the Department of Correction to inform incarcerated individuals about funds remaining in their commissary accounts upon release and to establish procedures for returning those funds. Six members were present, one was absent.
Hello, good morning. Welcome to today's New York City Council vote. At this time, please silence all phones. Moving forward, no one is to approach their chair. You may begin. Thank you. And good morning. I am Councilmember Sylvina Brooks Powers, Chair of the Committee on Criminal Justice. I am joined by Council Members Morano, Narcisse, Brewer, Caban. I think that's all. Okay. Today the committee will vote on proposed introduction number 246A, sponsored by Councilmember Crystal Hudson. This bill would require the Department of Correction to provide incarcerated individuals with information about the institutional funds remaining in their accounts before they are released from custody and establish procedures for returning those funds. Under this legislation, individuals would be able to receive their institutional funds in cash by check or after a specified implementation period through a preloaded debit card. Individuals requesting their funds in cash or on a preloaded debit card would receive them immediately upon request. The bill would also establish procedures for individuals to receive funds by check and would prohibit the department from charging any fees for the return of these funds. The legislation also addresses the transfer of institutional funds when an incarcerated individual is transferred to another correctional facility that maintains institutional funds. Before such a transfer, the individual would receive written information about how their funds can be transferred to the receiving facility. These provisions would provide clearer and more accessible procedures for individuals to recover money that remains in their accounts when they leave the department of correction custody. Ensuring that individuals can readily access their own funds upon release is particularly important as they transition back into the community and may need those funds to address immediate expenses. With that, I'd like to open the roll for a vote. And I now ask the clerk to call the vote. Yes. Narcisse. The role will be held open by request of the chair. Thank you. We're gonna pause this hearing and we're gonna roll into the oversight hearing.