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S 1654

Establishes the New York City Housing Authority Facilities Modernization Act (Part A); and provides for reporting on lead-based paint poisoning prevention (Part B)

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jamaal Bailey and 1 co-sponsor

Requires a statewide assessment of postsecondary education in prisons—capacity, barriers, costs, and needs—with a final report of recommendations and a cost analysis.

REFERRED TO HOUSING, CONSTRUCTION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
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Bill Summary · S 1654

Summary — S.1654 (filed Jan 16, 2025) — Postsecondary Education in Correctional Facilities

Note on metadata: the bill text provided is for a Massachusetts Senate bill (Senate No. 1654, filed Jan 16, 2025) authored by Brendan P. Crighton and titled “An Act relative to postsecondary education in correctional facilities.” Other metadata (title referencing New York City Housing Authority, sponsors such as Marsha Blackburn/Peter Welch, and committee referrals) appear inconsistent with the bill text. This summary is based solely on the bill text included in the submission.

Purpose

Require a comprehensive statewide assessment of the delivery, capacity, barriers, costs, and needs for expanding high‑quality postsecondary (degree and non‑degree) education programs for incarcerated individuals, and to produce a report with recommendations and cost analysis.

Who must act

  • Executive Office of Education and Executive Office for Administration and Finance, in consultation with the Department of Correction, are charged with conducting the assessment and producing the report.

Key provisions / required assessment components

The assessment must include, but is not limited to:

  • Inventory and status of current postsecondary programs (credit and non‑credit), enrollments, completions, and Pell Grant utilization; and equity measures.
  • Determination of unmet demand for postsecondary education among incarcerated populations using population counts, educational assessments, and readiness indicators.
  • Needs assessment for facilities, staffing, materials, and learning infrastructure (classrooms, libraries, study rooms, education technology, internet access) required to expand workforce‑aligned programs.
  • Cost analysis and recommendations for improving programs, facilities, staffing, materials, and infrastructure to meet unmet demand and support innovation/expansion.
  • Analysis of Department of Correction policies affecting education delivery, including classification procedures, transfer policies, data systems/reporting, and other barriers.
  • Surveys of current students, former students (in consultation with reentry programs), and other stakeholders the division deems necessary.
  • Solicitation of feedback from higher‑education institutions providing in‑facility programs on needs, delivery costs, and credit transferability.
  • Survey of other state agencies (e.g., Dept. of Elementary & Secondary Ed, Dept. of Higher Ed, Office of Student Financial Assistance, Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development, Commonwealth Corporation, EO Health & Human Services, Veterans Services, Division of Capital Asset Management, EO Housing) to generate:
    • Recommendations for ongoing interagency planning and cooperation (including timely access to transcripts and academic records);
    • Recommendations to increase access to professional development/postsecondary education for corrections staff;
    • Recommendations for regular executive and legislative review of progress.

Deliverable and timeline

  • A written report on the needs assessment must be submitted to the clerks of the House and Senate.
  • Deadline: Not later than January 1, 2026.

Who is affected

  • Incarcerated persons (potential access to expanded postsecondary education)
  • Correctional facilities and staff (infrastructure, training, staffing)
  • Higher education institutions providing prison programs
  • State agencies involved in education, workforce development, reentry, capital assets, and related services
  • Policymakers (will receive recommendations and cost estimates for future action)

Potential impact

  • Provides a structured, evidence‑based foundation for expanding postsecondary education in corrections by identifying unmet demand, infrastructure and policy barriers, and costs.
  • Could facilitate improved program capacity, better transcript access, workforce alignment of curricula, and more coordinated interagency support for education during incarceration and reentry.
  • Immediate effect is informational; implementation of program expansions or funding would require subsequent legislative or executive actions based on the report’s recommendations.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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