As members of the National Guard began to arrive at correctional facilities across New York state on Wednesday and Thursday, another Assembly member is seeking an end to the HALT Act.

Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R,C-Pulaski) called on Gov. Kathy Hochul to include a repeal of the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement (HALT) Act in her 30-day budget amendments, which were to be presented this week. In the wake of worker protests, the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision has temporarily suspended elements of the HALT Act.

“The conditions within New York’s correctional facilities need to be addressed immediately, and through her 30-day budget amendments, the governor can signal she’s serious about taking the necessary steps,” Barclay said. “The HALT Act looked great on paper to liberal Democrats who never spent a day working in prisons. But who has it protected? Prison violence has soared since it was implemented. Inmates are less safe. Correctional officers are less safe. The entire system has become more dangerous. We don’t need another year of alarming violence to know what needs to be done.”

Since the HALT Act took effect on March 31, 2022, the number of violent incidents in state correctional facilities has increased dramatically. Inmate-on-inmate violence has risen by 169% (1,110 incidents in 2021 to 2,983 incidents in 2024); Inmate-on-staff incidents have increased by 76% (1,177 in 2021 to 2,983 in 2024); incidents of contraband entering facilities are up 32% (3,594 in 2021 to 4,750 in 2024). The law removes consequences for dangerous behavior and severely compromises the ability of officers to discipline inmates. The HALT Act significantly restricts the use of segregated confinement for all inmates and eliminates segregated confinement for “special populations” which include prisoners over the age of 55 or under the age of 21.

Barclay visited Auburn Correctional Facility to show his support for correctional officers on Thursday. For the past four days, employees at correctional facilities across the state — including Brocton and Collins — have demonstrated to highlight the need for Albany to address the severe staffing crisis, misguided policies like the HALT Act, and increasing violence in state prisons.

Hochul presented her 2025-26 Executive Budget Proposal on Jan. 21. Each year, the governor is allowed by statute to refine the Executive Budget proposal based on feedback from stakeholders, agencies and the Legislature. Amendments must be submitted within 30 days of the Executive Budget’s release, ensuring timely revisions before the legislative budget process advances.