Reports: Gov. Hochul proposes changes to bail reform law - 13WHAM-TV
Reports are circulating that Governor Hochul has proposed changes to the state's bail reform laws.
The New York Times is reporting the governor has submitted a 10-part proposal to lawmakers that would include changes like giving judges more discretion to set bail and expanding the number of crimes eligible for bail.
The legislation would answer calls from many Republicans and law enforcement officials who have been critical of the bail reform laws since passed in 2019.
Bail reform and other criminal justice reform laws are expected to be a prominent issue in this year's election season as voters have noticed an increase in crime.
Senator Jeremy Cooney (D-56th District) said he would be open to discussing these changes.
"What I am most interested in again is getting illegal guns off the street and holding those with repeat offenses to a higher standard," he said.
Though Senator Cooney said changes to bail reform laws should be balanced with fairness.
"We knew there was injustice in that the size of a person’s wallet determines whether they go to jail or not, that’s wrong," he said.
Former Gates Police Chief Jim VanBrederode will run against Senator Cooney in November. He says criminal justice reform systems are one of his key issues.
"If you talk to the men and women in the trenches everyday we could have told you this was going to happen. It's unfortunate that we had to wait two years to do something because a lot of people have paid the price for this failed policy," VanBrederode said.
He and others in law enforcement have expressed criticism on bail reform laws for the last several years.
"All we have to do is have a legislative change to allow a judge to hold someone in custody for public safety reasons," VanBrederode said.
One thing the two opponents both agree on is that improving public safety must be a priority.
According to the New York Times, the changes would be part of the state budget due on April 1.
source: https://13wham.com/news/local/reports-gov-hochul-proposes-changes-to-bail-reform-law
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