New York City Council · Sep 23, 2026 · 4 minutes
The committee reviewed Proposed Introduction 246A, which would require the Department of Correction to explain and return incarcerated people’s institutional funds at release and address fund transfers between facilities. On a roll-call vote, the committee adopted the measure, 5–0, with no abstentions; the chair then paused the hearing to move to an oversight hearing.
The meeting was welcomed as a New York City Council vote, with reminders to silence phones and not approach the dais before the chair began.
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 the dais. Chair, you may begin.
The chair introduced the measure and described proposed requirements for informing incarcerated people about account balances, returning funds at release through several payment options without fees, and explaining how funds could be transferred to another correctional facility. The chair said these provisions would help people access their money during reentry.
Thank you and good morning. I am Councilmember Sylvina Brooks Powers, chair of the Committee on Criminal Justice. I am joined by Councilmembers Marano, 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 Corrections 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.
The clerk called the roll. The committee recorded five votes in favor, none opposed, and no abstentions, and the item was declared adopted. The clerk said the roll would remain open at the chair’s request.
With that, I would like to open the roll for a vote. And I now ask the clerk to call the vote. Thank you. Good morning. William Martin, committee clerk. Roll call vote, Committee on Criminal Justice on proposed introduction 2468. A chair Brooks Powers. I vote aye. Feliz Caban. Aye. Brewer. Yes. Narcisse. I vote aye. Salam Morano. Aye.
With a vote of five in the affirmative, zero in the negative, and no abstention, item has been adopted by the committee, and the chair will. The roll will be held open by request of the chair.
The chair thanked the clerk and said the hearing would pause as the committee moved into an oversight hearing.
Thank you. We're gonna pause this hearing and we're gonna roll into the oversight hearing.
Transcript and chapters are generated from the Council’s video and may contain errors. Check the original recording for context.