FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Senator Ramos Statement on Gov. Hocul's Proposed Bail Reform Rollbacks

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 3/17/2022

CONTACT: Astrid Aune, aaune@nysenate.gov

SENATOR RAMOS STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO GOVERNOR HOCHUL’S PROPOSED BAIL REFORM ROLLBACKS

QUEENS, NY - In response to Governor Hochul’s 10 point bail reform rollback plan, as initially reported in the New York Post, Senator Jessica Ramos issued the following statement:

“The ten-point plan released today by the Governor’s office does not contain considered policy. Instead, it is a reactive and knee-jerk political response, issued shortly after our disgraced former governor shared bad-faith attacks and threats to run for his old seat. A cynical reading of the timing of this release could lead one to believe that the Governor, facing new challenges from the right, is intending to use fear-mongering over bail reform rollbacks as a bargaining chip in final budget negotiations. 

The Senate Majority Leader has been very clear: we are going to address public safety concerns without succumbing to bad-faith smears of bail reform laws. Our one-house budget did just that - investments in child care, CUNY and SUNY, and workforce development programs. These will be much more effective mechanisms to address the root causes of violence than returning to racist criminal legal practices.

If the Governor wants to have a substantive, research-backed conversation about diversion and mental health interventions that work, I would be happy to discuss the details of S.2881/A.8524A - the Treatment Not Jails Act. Modeled after successful mental health diversion programs employed by DA Eric Gonzalez, Treatment Not Jails would both reduce current jail populations - which is critical, after yesterday’s reporting from the Federal Monitor - but would also break cycles of crime by diverting people suffering from mental health and substance use issues into actual care, rather than cycling them through our jails and prisons with no improvements on the taxpayer’s dime.”

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