§ 146. Persons authorized to visit correctional facilities. 1. The\nfollowing persons shall be authorized to visit at pleasure all\ncorrectional facilities: The governor and lieutenant-governor,\ncommissioner of general services, secretary of state, comptroller and\nattorney-general, members of the commission of correction, members of\nthe legislature and their accompanying staff and any employee of the\ndepartment as requested by the member of the legislature if the member\nrequests to be so accompanied, provided that such request does not\nimpact upon the department's ability to supervise, manage and control\nits facilities as determined by the commissioner, judges of the court of\nappeals, supreme court and county judges, district attorneys and every\nclergyman or minister, as such terms are defined in section two of the\nreligious corporations law, having charge of a congregation in the\ncounty wherein any such facility is situated. No other person not\notherwise authorized by law shall be permitted to enter a correctional\nfacility except by authority of the commissioner of correction under\nsuch regulations as the commissioner shall prescribe.\n 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, on each\nSeptember thirteenth anniversary date of the nineteen hundred\nseventy-one retaking of Attica correctional facility, in the absence of\nan emergency situation or other exigent circumstance, the commissioner\nshall ensure that any surviving state employees who were held as\nhostages and any immediate family members, as that term is defined in\nsubdivision four of section 120.40 of the penal law, of any of the state\nemployees who were held hostage for any period by rioting incarcerated\nindividuals during the period from September ninth through September\nthirteenth, nineteen hundred seventy-one, shall be afforded access to\nthe outside grounds of Attica correctional facility to conduct a private\ncommemorative ceremony in front of the Attica monument upon which are\ninscribed the names of employees who died as a result of the uprising\nand subsequent retaking.\n 3. a. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the\ncorrectional association shall be permitted to access, visit, inspect,\nand examine all state correctional facilities with twenty-four hours\nadvance notice to the department. For any visit that will include units\nor areas staffed by the office of mental health, such notice shall also\nbe provided to the office of mental health. Up to twelve people may\ncomprise the visiting party; provided, however, that only four people\nfrom the party may enter a special housing facility or unit at the same\ntime. Prior to the visitation authorized pursuant to this subdivision,\nthe correctional association shall provide to the department on, at\nleast, an annual basis a list of people who will be visiting the\nfacility or facilities, including names, dates of birth, driver's\nlicense numbers and their designation as an employee, board member, or\ndesignee in order for the department to perform prompt background\nchecks. The department may place restrictions on such visits and\ninspections when a facility is locked down or experiencing a facility\nwide emergency. In addition, the department may restrict access to a\nportion of a facility in an emergency situation for the duration of the\nemergency. For the purpose of this subdivision, an emergency shall be\ndetermined by the commissioner or the commissioner's designee and\ndefined as a significant risk to the safety or security of the facility,\nor the health, safety or security of staff or incarcerated individuals,\nor an event that significantly compromises the operations of the\nfacility.\n b. Upon twenty-four hours advance notice, at the commencement or\nconclusion of any visits to, or inspections and examinations of, state\ncorrectional facilities, the superintendent and executive team, to the\nextent practicable, shall meet with the co
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