Narrative of Resolution:
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To oppose NYS Senate Bill S6282 regarding Probation Administrative Fees
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Amount to be authorized by Resolution: N/A
Are funds already budgeted? No
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RESOLUTION INTRODUCED BY THE SULLIVAN COUNTY LEGISLATURE OPPOSING THE ADOPTION OF NEW YORK SENATE BILL S6282 WHICH WOULD ELIMINATE PROBATION ADMINISTRATIVE FEES
WHEREAS, the New York State Senate is currently considering the adoption of Senate Bill S6282 which would repeal Executive Law § 257-c thereby eliminating the collection of administrative fees, supervision fees, monitoring fees, testing fees and screening fees currently being collected from Probationers in New York State; and
WHEREAS, the New York Council of Probation Administrators (“COPA”), which represents all county probation directors, strongly opposes the adoption of Senate Bill S6282 and its repeal of Executive Law § 257-c; and
WHEREAS, the Sullivan County Probation Department believes that the collection of those fees from Probationers is a part of effective supervision and rehabilitation of Probationers by requiring them to be accountable for their actions and that financial responsibility is an effective tool in that learning process; and
WHEREAS, the Sullivan County Probation Department considers the Probationer’s ability to pay said fees, the fees are waived when an individual cannot afford to pay the fees, the fees are never utilized as a punitive measure and a Probationer will never be subject to a violation of Probation or incarceration due to a failure to pay the fees; and
WHEREAS, the Sullivan County Probation Department collected approximately $82,000 in fees in 2021 and approximately $58,000 in fees in 2022 which were utilized to offset the costs associated with the supervision and rehabilitation of Probationers and if Senate Bill S6282 is adopted those costs shall be borne by the local law-abiding tax payers; and
WHEREAS, the Sullivan County Legislature firmly believes that it is in the best interest of the citizens of Sullivan County and the State of New York, including the Probationers, that Executive Law § 257-c not be repealed.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Sullivan County Legislature, joins with COPA and numerous other Counties in New York State, and strongly urges the New York State Senate to support local law enforcement efforts to supervise and rehabilitate Probationers assigned to their respective Probation Departments by not adopting Senate Bill S6282; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Clerk of the Legislature is hereby directed to forward copies of this Resolution to Governor Kathy Hochul, Senator Peter Oberacker, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Assemblyman Brian Maher and New York State Association of Counties.
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