Last week, The Fortune Society’s David Rothenberg Center for Public Policy (DRCPP) unveiled its 2026 Legislative and Policy Priorities. These priorities focus on driving systemic change and protecting the progress we have seen thus far, while encouraging us all to continue imagining and fighting for a more just future.   

Our legislative and policy priorities aim to strengthen our communities and promote equity, remaining grounded in our pillars of decarceration, improving conditions of confinement, and promoting successful reentry. We know that when people return home without access to support or access to resources, they are often forced into survival mode, making it difficult to focus on rebuilding their lives after incarceration.  

A set of critical reentry-focused initiatives stand out amongst our priorities for their potential to drive transformative change: Reentry from the Inside Out, the Transitional Reentry Health Act, and the Reentry Assistance Bill.  

Reentry from the Inside Out (A.3934/S.5061 and A.3935/S.5059) 

Reentry from the Inside Out (RIO) recognizes that successful reentry begins long before a person’s release. RIO is comprised of two bills: the Reintegration Pilot Program Act and the Access to Public Benefits for Reentry Act. Together, they aim to support people before and during their reentry process. 

More than 40% of individuals leave Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) custody without stable housing or go directly to a shelter. At Fortune, we know that lacking stable housing can make it harder for people reentering their communities to access other essential resources and services during this particularly vulnerable time. To address this, the reintegration pilot program act (A.3934/S.50611) would establish a five-year pilot program in three prisons (two for men and one for women), providing access to critical community-based reentry services both before and after release. The pilot program requires DOCCS to partner with community-based organizations to offer comprehensive assessments and screenings to help developindividualized reintegration plans. These assessments will help establish a person’s immediate needs, such as mental health treatment, substance use treatment, and stable housing. In the six months leading up to release, participants will also be connected to peer support to help put these plans into action, and the support will continue upon release for up to twelve months.  

The Access to Public Benefits for Reentry Act (A.3935/S.5059) complements this pilot program through key collaborations between social service agencies and community-based organizations to assist people with public benefits enrollment before their release. This bill will help ensure access to essential support such as public assistance, SNAP, special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children (WIC), the home energy assistanceprogram (HEAP), supplemental security income, and state supplemental payments.  

Transitional Reentry Health Act (A.1008/S.614) 

In the first two weeks following release, people leaving incarceration are 13 times more likely to die than the general population and 130 times more likely to die from overdose specifically. However, because the Medicaid enrollment process can take up to 90 days, many people leave jail or prison without active coverage, leaving them without care during an especially vulnerable transitional period.  

The Transitional Reentry Health Act (A.1008/S.614) presents an opportunity to close this gap by requiring prisons and jails to provide Medicaid enrollment assistance to everyone upon release from incarceration. This legislation would also create a pathway to Presumptive Eligibility, which allows up to 60 days of temporary Medicaid coverage for eligible individuals who face enrollment barriers due to short jail stays, missing documentation, or other delays. Ensuring that people leaving incarceration have access to Medicaid coverage immediately is crucial so they can access the care they need, when they need it. 

Reentry Assistance Bill (A.6990/S.6222) 

People released from prisons and jails often lack savings or financial resources while also facing significant barriers to securing housing, employment, and access to care and treatment, leading to further financial hardship during reentry. The Reentry Assistance Bill (A.6990/S.6222) seeks to address this financial instability by establishing a reentry fund that would provide eligible people with a monthly stipend for up to 6 months after release. This support will help cover essential expenses such as food, clothing, housing, transportation, and other necessities during the first few months of reentry, allowing greater opportunity for people to reestablish themselves when they come home. The bill would also alleviate the burden on families as they seek to support their loved ones coming home. 

Together, these reentry-focused priorities reflect a holistic vision that recognizes the dignity of people returning from incarceration and invests in their success, which not only contributes to their well-being and stability but also to that of their families and communities. As we look ahead to the 2026 legislative session. The Fortune Society is hopeful about how these bills could transform reentry in New York.