Elder Parole Bill Advances in New York State Legislature
Elder parole legislation would permit incarcerated individuals aged 55 or older who have served at least 15 years of their sentence to apply for parole
Parole reform advocates in New York State have officially gained majority support in the state Senate for legislation that would give older incarcerated individuals a shot at parole.
State Sen. April Baskin became the 31st co-sponsor of the Elder Parole (S2423) legislation, which would permit incarcerated individuals aged 55 or older who have served at least 15 years of their sentence to apply for parole. The proposal would not grant anyone automatic parole, nor would it guarantee the conditional release, but it would allow older inmates to become parole eligible and compel the state Parole Board to interview the inmate. With 32 state senators, including prime sponsor State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, now supporting the legislation, the bill has the support of more than half of the 63-member chamber.
Hoylman-Sigal said in a statement that the majority sponsorship sends “a clear message” that the bill is ready for passage. First introduced in 2018, the bill has never before achieved this level of official support. The measure only made it out of the Crime Victims, Crime and Corrections Committee once in the state Senate, and it has never been put on the floor calendar for even the possibility of a vote. But showing that the bill technically has enough support to pass gives advocates fresh ammunition to push it forward. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this bill across the finish line this session,” Hoylman-Sigal said.
The Elder Parole legislation is one of several criminal justice reform bills that activists are advocating for with renewed urgency amid the ongoing turmoil in state prisons. “Particularly in the wake of guards lynching Robert Brooks, and the prospect of emboldened guards returning to the prisons after their illegal work stoppage, it’s urgent that we protect our elders from the racist brutality that’s endemic to this system,” said Jose Saldana, Director of the Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP) Campaign. Brooks’ death at Marcy Correction Facility in December made headlines after the release of body camera footage that showed guards brutally beating him, sparking widespread outrage. So far, 10 corrections officers have been indicted on criminal charges ranging from murder to gang assault in connection with his death.
