NY S00856

Expands the State Commission of Correction from 3 members to 9 members, with appointments divided among the governor (3), speaker of the assembly (2), temporary president of the senate (2), and the Correctional Association (2)

Requires the commission to include at least one formerly incarcerated person, one public health professional, one behavioral healthcare professional, one attorney with experience in indigent criminal defense or prisoner's rights, and one professional in a field useful to the correctional system

Removes Senate confirmation requirement for gubernatorial appointments and allows commission members to annually select their own chairperson rather than having the governor designate one

Staggers initial terms for new appointees: assembly appointees serve 2 years, senate appointees serve 3 years, and Correctional Association appointees serve 4 years, with all subsequent terms being 5 years

Limits members to a maximum of 10 years of service and allows removal only by the original appointing authority for cause after a hearing