HALT Act changes on the table but N.Y. Democrats signal reluctance

And overdose prevention centers will not be getting any money from the state, the Hochul administration says.

(Will Waldron/Times Union)

Good afternoon — it’s Wednesday and Pistachio Day.

In today’s CapCon:

• Strikes at state prisons continued Wednesday. Leaders in the Legislature said changes to the HALT Act, a top demand, is not off the table.

• The Hochul administration has again rejected a recommendation from the Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board on overdose prevention centers.

• Extras: Indications that Cuomo is about to jump into the race for New York City continue to pop up.

• On The Bill: An alternative extended producer responsibility proposal has support from the state’s business community.

• At The Capitol: The Division of Budget and top lawmakers will convene to discuss an update to the state’s revenue forecast for the next fiscal year Thursday.

• New Bills of Note: A Human Services Wage Commission, converting into a cooperative and harassment in state prisons.

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(Will Waldron/Times Union)

⚖️ Democrats aren’t shutting the door on HALT changes amid prison strikes

Correction officers have now been on strike for 10 days across New York for several reasons.

At the top of that list is the HALT Act, a recent state law that limits how and when solitary confinement can be used. It also limits how long someone can be in solitary confinement. It went into effect 2022.

At the same time, prison assaults have risen in New York and reached the highest level in at least five years in 2024, according to data from the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

The striking correction officers claim the two are connected, pointing directly to the HALT Act for the increase in assaults.

The law has several requirements for state prisons, though not all of them have been implemented. Incarcerated people have to be allowed out of their cells for at least four hours each day and the use of solitary confinement is capped at 15 consecutive days.

Correction officers have called for the full repeal of the law, as have Republicans in the Legislature. That’s not something that Democrats are considering as of now.

But the door isn’t closed to changing the law in response to the strikes, Democrats who lead both chambers of the Legislature said.

(Will Waldron/Ties Union)

🗣️ What Democrats said about changes to the HALT Act

I found it interesting that Democrats have made a point to note that the strikes are illegal under the Taylor Law, which prohibits public employees from going on strike.

The fact that workers staged them as wildcat strikes, meaning without their union’s blessing, may have dampened their chances with the Legislature, Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie said Wednesday.