A00330 Summary:

BILL NO    A00330A

SAME AS    Same as Uni. S 243-A

SPONSOR    Jeffries

COSPNSR    Schroeder, Aubry, Boyland, Camara, Jaffee, Peoples-Stokes, Ortiz,
           Robinson, Cook, Titus

MLTSPNSR   Gottfried, Hooper, Lopez V, Nolan, Towns

Amd SS210 & 606, Tax L

Establishes a re-entry employment incentive tax credit for employers who hire
individuals who have been released from correctional facilities in this state
for full-time employment at a rate that is 140% of the state minimum wage.

A00330 Actions:

BILL NO    A00330A

01/07/2009 referred to ways and means
06/02/2009 amend (t) and recommit to ways and means
06/02/2009 print number 330a
01/06/2010 referred to ways and means

A00330 Votes:

A00330 Memo:

BILL NUMBER:A330A

TITLE  OF BILL:  An act to amend the tax law, in relation to providing a
re-entry employment incentive tax credit; and providing for  the  repeal
of such provisions upon expiration thereof

PURPOSE:    This  bill is intended to help formerly incarcerated men and
women obtain meaningful employment upon their release  from  prison/jail
by offering employers who hire them a tax credit.

SUMMARY  OF  PROVISIONS:    The bill establishes the Re-Entry Employment
Incentive Tax Credit pilot project. Under the legislation, a tax  credit
of  up  to  $5,000  would be available to employers that hire qualifying
individuals who are designated by the department of labor to participate
in the pilot project. A qualifying individual is defined as a person who
is first employed after the effective date of this act, and who has been
released from a state correctional facility  in  the  last  five  years,
convicted  of  a  felony  in the last five years, or serving a period of
parole, probation or post release supervision, and who  resides  in  New
York  State,  and  receives  wages which are 140 percent of the New York
State minimum wage. The bill also requires the department  of  labor  to
report  to  the  legislature  on  the effectiveness of the tax credit in
promoting job opportunities for individuals who participate in the pilot
project.

JUSTIFICATION:  Employment is one of the major barriers to the  success-
ful re-entry of formerly incarcerated individuals. However, Studies show
that  employment is a major factor in reducing recidivism. Therefore, it
is important that New York promote policies to assist formerly incarcer-
ated individuals and those  with  criminal  records  to  obtain  gainful
employment.  This bill will help to address this issue by giving employ-
ers  an  incentive  to  hire qualified persons with criminal records and
create more job opportunities.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:; New bill.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  This act shall take effect immediately and shall  apply
to  taxable  years  beginning  on  and  after January 1, 2011 and ending
December 31, 2013.  except for the reporting requirement which  will  be
in effect until March 31, 2014.