S7937
An act to amend the Correction Law — 2024-05-23 · Calendar #684
The New York State Senate passed legislation requiring the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to disclose water-testing results to incarcerated individuals and staff at correctional facilities. Senate Print 7937, sponsored by Sen. Harckham, passed on a 55-1 roll call vote, with only Sen. Ortt voting in opposition. The bill addresses public health concerns related to PFAS contamination in correctional facility water. According to Harckham, more than a million incarcerated individuals nationwide face risk of exposure to PFAS in their water. The legislation also protects civilian and uniformed staff who work in correctional facilities, as well as surrounding communities. The bill takes effect 90 days after becoming law.
Passed Senate
Ayes: 55
· Nays: 1
Debate Summary
Sen. Harckham explained that the bill requires the commissioner of Corrections and Community Supervision to make water-testing results known to incarcerated individuals and staff at correctional facilities. He cited a study showing more than a million incarcerated individuals are at risk for exposure to PFAS in their water, and noted the bill protects public health for staff, incarcerated individuals, and surrounding communities.
Transcript Mentions
These votes were extracted from the floor transcript by AI. NYS Senate roll calls are read in full, but AI extraction may not capture every senator — so this list is incomplete and skews toward named dissenting votes. Use the Official API Data table above for the complete roll call.
| Senator | Vote | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Ortt | nay | Republican |