Requires all incarcerated individuals who do not have a high-school diploma or its equivalent to receive a reading proficiency level assessment and dyslexia screening upon intake by the department of corrections; requires for such individuals who perform below a certain proficiency level to be provided with intervention services that are evidence-based, effective and consistent with science-based research specifically tailored to addressing dyslexia.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A1645A
SPONSOR: Simon (MS)
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the correction law, in relation to a reading proficiency
level assessment and dyslexia screening for incarcerated individuals
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
to amend the correction law, in relation to a reading proficiency level
assessment and dyslexia screening for incarcerated individuals.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1. The correction law is amended by adding a new section §
137-a.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The prevalence of dyslexia in the general population is about 20%; the
prevalence of dyslexia among the incarcerated population is more than
twice that, or 48% according to a scientific study by the University of
Texas Medical Branch in conjunction with the Texas Department of Crimi-
nal Justice (2000). Given that illiteracy is a risk factor for criminal
behavior, and that dyslexia is one of the most common causes of reading
illiteracy, screening our state's incarcerated population and conducting
risk-and-needs assessment for every offender will identify this learning
disability. Initiating interventions that are evidence-based, effective,
and consistent with science-based research specifically tailored to
address dyslexia will help prepare these individuals while incarcerated
for a more productive life upon release.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021-2022: A.2062 Simon/S.307 Myrie - referred to crime victims, Crime
and Correction
2020: A.7822 (Simon)
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
this act shall take effect on the nineteenth day after it shall have
become a law. Effective immediately the addition, amendment and/or
repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
on or before such date.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1645--A
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 17, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SIMON, TAYLOR, FORREST, COLTON, KELLES, SHIMSKY,
GLICK -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CRUZ, DICKENS, EPSTEIN, HUNT-
ER, LUPARDO, RA, REYES, SAYEGH, THIELE, WEPRIN -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Correction -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee
AN ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to a reading proficiency
level assessment and dyslexia screening for incarcerated individuals
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The correction law is amended by adding a new section 137-a
2 to read as follows:
3 § 137-a. Reading proficiency level assessment and dyslexia screening.
4 1. As part of the intake process, an incarcerated individual who does
5 not have a high school diploma or its equivalent shall receive a reading
6 proficiency level assessment and dyslexia screening administered by the
7 department, provided however, nothing in this section shall preclude the
8 incarcerated individual from completing a department-provided screening
9 that is intended to be self-administered. If an incarcerated individual
10 demonstrates that he or she is below the proficiency level required to
11 be a high-functioning reader, such individual shall be provided with
12 dyslexia intervention that is evidence-based, effective, and consistent
13 with science-based research specifically tailored to addressing dysle-
14 xia.
15 2. The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of educa-
16 tion, shall promulgate rules and regulations that require, but are not
17 limited to the following:
18 (a) Teachers at all correctional facilities shall have and demonstrate
19 awareness of the best practices of scientific reading instruction;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01960-02-3
A. 1645--A 2
1 (b) Each incarcerated individual who does not have a high school
2 diploma or its equivalent shall receive a reading proficiency level
3 assessment and a dyslexia screening; and
4 (c) A process be established in which incarcerated individuals, upon
5 intake, are assessed and administered a dyslexia screening by the
6 department, and provided with dyslexia intervention by the department
7 that is evidence-based, effective, and consistent with science-based
8 research specifically tailored to addressing dyslexia. The department
9 shall ensure that such intervention services are provided by licensed
10 professionals in permanent competitive positions in the classified
11 service employed by the department.
12 3. Each superintendent shall submit a plan to the department that
13 allows incarcerated individuals to voluntarily receive a reading profi-
14 ciency level assessment, dyslexia screening, and reading instruction
15 that is evidence-based, effective, and consistent with science-based
16 research specifically tailored to addressing dyslexia.
17 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
18 have become a law. Effective immediately the addition, amendment and/or
19 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
20 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
21 on or before such date.