New York legislation · 2025-2026 General Assembly
New York A4603: Establishes visiting policies for incarcerated individuals
Status: Passed both chambers, June 1, 2026
Establishes visiting policies for incarcerated people, to provide incarcerated people opportunities for personal contact with relatives, friends, clergy, volunteers and other persons to promote better institutional adjustment and better community adjustment upon release.
What the bill says
An act to amend the correction law, in relation to the establishment of visiting policies for incarcerated individuals.
From the amended text, May 8, 2026:
AN ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to the establishment of visiting policies for incarcerated individuals THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The correction law is amended by adding a new section 138-c to read as follows: § 138-C. VISITING POLICIES FOR THE INCARCERATED. 1. STATE AND LOCAL CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES SHALL ESTABLISH VISITING POLICIES WHICH GIVE INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS OPPORTUNITIES FOR IN-PERSON CONTACT WITH THEIR RELATIVES, CHILDREN, FRIENDS, CLERGY, VOLUNTEERS AND OTHER PERSONS TO PROMOTE INDIVIDUAL TRANSFORMATION, BETTER INSTITUTIONAL ADJUSTMENT AND BETTER COMMUNITY ADJUSTMENT UPON RELEASE. SUCH PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, (A) VISITING HOURS THAT ARE REASONABLY LIKELY TO ACCOMMODATE PERSONS TRAVELING FROM WITHIN THE STATE, INCLUDING EVENING HOURS STARTING AT SIX O'CLOCK P.M. AND/OR WEEKEND HOURS, (B) VISITS OF SUFFICIENT DURATION, INCLUDING A MINIMUM OF ONE HOUR AT LOCAL CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES SO THAT VISITORS AND INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS WILL BE EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD07456-02-6 A. 4603--A 2 ABLE TO MAINTAIN RELATIONSHIP BONDS, AND (C) A PUBLISHED OVERCROWDING POLICY THAT IS EQUITABLE WITH DUE CONSIDERATION TO THE DISTANCE TRAVELED BY THE VISITOR, THE FREQUENCY OF THE VISITOR'S VISITS, THE MOST RECENT OCCASION THAT THE INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL'S VISIT WAS TERMINATED …
Sponsors
- David Weprin (D, 24) · primary sponsor
- Latrice Walker (D, 55)
- Harvey Epstein (D, 74)
- Karines Reyes (D, 87)
- Catalina Cruz (D, 39)
- Pamela Hunter (D, 128)
- Alfred Taylor (D, 71)
- Christopher Burdick (D, 93)
- Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas (D, 34)
- Chantel Jackson (D, 79)
- Didi Barrett (D, 106)
- Edward Gibbs (D, 68)
Latest actions
- : RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY
- : PASSED SENATE
- : 3RD READING CAL.847
- : SUBSTITUTED FOR S5037A
- : REFERRED TO FINANCE
- : DELIVERED TO SENATE
- : PASSED ASSEMBLY
- : ORDERED TO THIRD READING RULES CAL.118
- : RULES REPORT CAL.118
- : REPORTED
Votes
- Senate Floor Vote (June 1, 2026): 38 yea, 22 nay, passed
- FLOOR Vote (June 1, 2026): 38 yea, 22 nay, passed
- Assembly Floor Vote - Final Passage (May 28, 2026): 90 yea, 48 nay, passed
- Assembly Rules Committee: Favorable (May 14, 2026): 19 yea, 8 nay, passed
- Assembly Ways And Means Committee: Favorable refer to committee Rules (May 12, 2026): 22 yea, 9 nay, passed
Subjects: Correction Law
Common questions
- What is A4603?
- A4603 is a bill in the New York Legislature (2025-2026 General Assembly): Establishes visiting policies for incarcerated individuals.
- What does A4603 do?
- In its own words: An act to amend the correction law, in relation to the establishment of visiting policies for incarcerated individuals.
- What is the status of A4603?
- Passed both chambers as of June 1, 2026. Latest action: RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY (June 1, 2026).
- Who sponsored A4603?
- David Weprin (D, 24), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for A4603?
- On the New York Legislature website: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A4603
Source: official New York record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.