New York State of the State Address: Hochul acknowledges needed improvement to bail reform laws

ALBANY, NY- New York Governor Kathy Hochul delivered her State of the State Address Tuesday.

Out of all the topics and highlights discussed, one blemish that stood out involved her acknowledgement that the state’s bail reform law still needs improvement.

Lawmakers, mostly from the Republican side, have been torching bail reform ever since it was first enacted into law under the Cuomo administration.

Accompanied with echoing cries from law enforcement officials, legislators against bail reform have been campaigning that the law makes New York less safe by cancelling cash bail for criminals who commit now what has become quite a lengthy list of offenses.

They also have correlated the law to the rising spike in crime across the state.

However, Governor Hochul says the law is not the primary source for the state’s crime spike and she still stands behind bail reform’s intent: “The size of someone’s bank account should not determine whether they sit in jail or go home even before they’ve been convicted,” she said during her address.

Meanwhile, she did admit that there is room for additional improvements to the law.

We plan on discussing reactions from our North Country lawmakers soon. Be sure to stay tuned.

Image via the office of New York Governor Kathy Hochul.