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Serving People from Arrest to Reintegration

New York City Council Intro. No. 574A Providing Fee-Wiaved Birth Certificates to Individuals Returning from Jail and Prison

  • Organization: New York City Council
  • Document Type: Statute/regulation/other law
  • Date Created: Tuesday, December 11, 2007
  • Submitted: Wednesday, December 19, 2007
  • Attachment(s): LINK

On Tuesday, December 11th, Intro. No. 574A, a bill granting free birth certificates to all residents coming home from City jails (after serving 90 days) or New York State prisons, was passed by the full Council of the City of New York (39-6 vote). The Bloomberg Administration stated their support and Mayor is expected to sign it into law within 30 days. The intention and effect will be to rescind one more barrier to people successfully reentering their communities and attempting to rebuild their lives after incarceration. It is exactly the kind of gesture of hope that ICARE was founded to advocate for. Birth certificates are needed for many aspects of making a new life - from employment to housing to official ID's, applications to educational institutions, healthcare, other benefits and social services.

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