Senator Oberacker Presses for Public Safety Reforms

ALBANY, 01/23/23 -- State Senator Peter Oberacker (R/C – Schenevus) today joined members of the Senate and Assembly Republican Conferences to unveil a legislative package to Create a Safer New York. In contrast with Albany One Party Rule’s disastrous pro-criminal “reforms,” these comprehensive policy solutions would support our brave members of law enforcement, fix the state’s broken criminal justice system, crack down on illegal gun crime, and protect victims and innocent New Yorkers.

“Protecting the public is one of the most important responsibilities of government, and when a crime has been committed, the victim, not the criminal, must be our first concern,” said Senator Peter Oberacker.  “For some inexplicable reason that fundamental tenet has been tossed aside over the last several years under one party rule. The so-called bail reforms have allowed dangerous criminals out on our streets and made it more difficult for police officers to do what is already a demanding job while repealing the HALT Act has endangered corrections officers and inmates alike – and that is only a small portion of Albany’s public safety failures.  Criminals know that here in New York State, the laws are in their favor and that has to change immediately.  It is time to return sanity and safety to our streets.”

To provide much-needed support to law enforcement, fix the state’s broken criminal justice system, crack down on illegal gun crime, and protect victims and innocent New Yorkers, Republicans proposed:

• Support Law Enforcement
  • Creating the SAFER Communities Grant Program to invest in critical investigatory and prosecutorial resources designed to increase case clearance rates for homicide and gun crimes;
  • Repealing HALT to protect our corrections officers; and
  • Allowing the use of familial DNA to give law enforcement more investigatory tools.

• Fix the Broken Criminal Justice System
  • Rolling back disastrous bail and discovery laws, and providing for judicial discretion to stop the revolving door in our criminal justice system;
  • Opposing soft-on-crime policies being advanced by the Democratic Majorities, including the so-called “Clean Slate” Act, “Elder Parole,” and others; and
  • Increasing penalties for habitual repeat offenders who commit crimes that harm New Yorkers’ quality of life.

• Crack Down on Illegal Gun Crime
  • Reducing the use of illegal firearms with increased funding for gun interdiction efforts;
  • Increasing penalties for crimes committed with stolen firearms, and mandatory consecutive sentencing for crimes involving illegal firearms; and
  • Making any misdemeanor or felony offense involving an illegal firearm bail eligible, and amending Raise the Age to ensure 16- and 17-year-olds charged with certain gun or gang-related crimes are prosecuted as adults.

• Protect Victims and Innocent New Yorkers
  • Restricting the release of identifying information in certain cases, and putting in place policies to protect victims’ rights during parole process;
  • Increasing the caps on Office of Victim Services reimbursements for crime victims, and investing in victim support programs; and
  • Authorizing judges to set lifetime orders of protection for certain crimes, such as violent and domestic violence felonies.

The package outlined today is the first in a series of comprehensive proposals that will be put forth by the Republican Conferences this session in order to reduce crime, strengthen public safety, and protect victims and innocent, law-abiding New Yorkers.

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