504. Designation of substitute jail. 1. If there is no jail in a county, or the jail becomes unfit or unsafe for the confinement of some or all of the inmates, civil or criminal, or is destroyed by fire or otherwise, or if a pestilential disease breaks out in the jail or in the vicinity of the jail and the physician to the jail certifies that it is likely to endanger the health of any or all of the inmates in the jail, the state commission of correction, upon application, must, by an instrument in writing, filed with the clerk of the county, designate another suitable place within the county, or the jail of any other county, for the confinement of some or all of the inmates, as the case requires. The place so designated thereupon becomes, to all intents and purposes, except as otherwise prescribed in this article, the jail of the county for which it has been so designated, and the purposes expressed in the instrument designating the same. The designation may be amended, modified or revoked by the state commission of correction by a subsequent instrument in writing filed with the clerk of the county.
2. Where the jail in a county becomes unfit or unsafe for the confinement of some or all of the inmates due to an inmate disturbance or other extraordinary circumstances, including but not limited to a natural disaster, unanticipated deficiencies in the structural integrity of a facility or the inability to provide one or more inmates with essential services such as medical care, upon the request of the municipal official as defined in subdivision four of section forty of this chapter and no other suitable place within the county nor the jail of any other county is immediately available to house some or all of the inmates, the commissioner of corrections and community supervision may, in his or her sole discretion, make available, upon such terms and conditions as he or she may deem appropriate, all or any part of a state correctional institution for the confinement of some or all of such inmates as an adjunct to the county jail for a period not to exceed thirty days. However, if the county jail remains unfit or unsafe for the confinement of some or all of such inmates beyond thirty days, the state commission of correction, with the consent of the commissioner of corrections and community supervision, may extend the availability of a state correctional institution for one or more additional thirty day periods. The state commission of correction shall promulgate rules and regulations governing the temporary transfer of inmates to state correctional institutions from county jails, including but not limited to provisions for confinement of such inmates in the nearest correctional facility, to the maximum extent practicable, taking into account necessary security. The commissioner of corrections and community supervision may, in his or her sole discretion, based on standards promulgated by the department, determine whether a county shall reimburse the state for any or all of the actual costs of confinement as approved by the director of the division of the budget. On or before the expiration of each thirty day period, the state commission of correction must make an appropriate designation pursuant to subdivision one if the county jail remains unfit or unsafe for the confinement of some or all of the inmates and consent to the continued availability of a state correctional institution as required for herein. The superintendence, management and control of a state correctional institution or part thereof made available pursuant hereto and the inmates housed therein shall be as directed by the commissioner of corrections and community supervision.
3. The county clerk must serve a copy of the designation, duly certified by him or her, under his or her official seal, on the sheriff and keeper of the jail of the county designated. The sheriff of that county must, upon the delivery of the sheriff of the county for which the designation is made, receive into his or her jail, and there safely keep, all persons who may be lawfully confined therein, pursuant to this article; and he or she is responsible for their safekeeping, as if he or she was sheriff of the county for which the designation is made.
4. In any county where a jail is under the jurisdiction of a commissioner of correction the term sheriff as set forth in this section shall be deemed to mean the commissioner of correction of such county.
5. As provided in this section, any designation of the state commission of correction, or any amendment, modification or revocation thereto, may be issued by the commission, any member, or any attorney employed by the commission.
Last modified: February 3, 2019