ALBANY – The laws approved earlier this year in Albany that include bail reform were approved along party lines. The strong Democratic majority voted for them; the minority Republicans in the legislature opposed them.
Effective on January 1, 2020, defendants charged with many class E felonies including home burglary, almost all drug sales and possession, some homicides, assaults resulting from drunk driving collisions, many weapons offenses, grand larceny, bribery involving public officials, and many charges involving child pornography, will all be released from custody without consideration of bail.
Supporters say the new law will level the playing field for those who are accused and can pay bail and those who cannot.
Republican Assemblyman Karl Brabenec of Deerpark is leading the charge to repeal that reform calling it “irresponsible and pro-criminal.”
His caucus is supporting his effort. “These reforms are just out of the ballpark and they don’t represent what we should be doing. We should be protecting our law-abiding taxpayers. We should be protecting the victims of crimes and we should not be advancing a pro-criminal agenda,” he said.
Police chiefs and district attorneys across the state oppose the reforms and say they were never consulted about them.
Law enforcement is concerned because they may have to hire more officers to chase defendants who do not show up for court dates once they are arrested, arraigned and released and that, alone, will place an undue financial hardship on communities without the state providing financial aid.
