Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick Blasts Reckless Public Safety Legislation

(ALBANY, NY) – Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick today criticized the Senate Crime Victims, Crime and Correction Committee for advancing two reckless bills that threaten public safety, weaken sentencing laws, and further erode accountability in New York’s criminal justice system.

The first bill, S.159 (Salazar), would overhaul the parole process by creating a default presumption that an inmate should be released unless the Board of Parole can prove they currently pose an “unreasonable risk” to public safety. This shift would likely lead to a significant increase in parole approvals, including for dangerous offenders.

The second bill, S.342 (Cooney), would drastically expand eligibility merit time credits to include even those convicted of the most heinous offenses, and increase the maximum credit to allow inmates to reduce up to half their sentence. Under this proposal, it would also be nearly impossible to revoke these credits, even if an inmate engages in misconduct while incarcerated.

“We’ve already seen the tragic consequences of soft-on-crime policies that tie judges’ hands and place unreasonable burdens on prosecutors,” said Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick. “Time and again, violent repeat offenders are being released while victims are left to suffer—and now the Senate Majority is doubling down on these dangerous policies.”

“These radical proposals are not just misguided—they’re an insult to every New Yorker who has been traumatized by crime,” she continued. “Our communities are not testing grounds for fringe criminal justice experiments. We need real reforms that protect victims, support law enforcement, and hold criminals fully accountable—not more policies that let them off the hook.”

Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick is calling for the Legislative Majorities to stop pursuing these dangerous, misguided bills, and to instead focus on protecting public safety and standing with victims—not coddling criminals.