SERINO HIGHLIGHTS SUPERMAJORITY’S HYPOCRISY DURING NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS’ AWARENESS WEEK

ALBANY, NY – With the State Senate advancing a package of bills today aimed at better protecting victims of domestic violence, Senator Sue Serino advanced an amendment that would fully repeal bail reform, arguing that it is a necessary step to more effectively ensure the safety of these victims and empower survivors. Despite all legislative procedures being appropriately followed, the Supermajority rejected the amendment outright. 

“Because of bail reform, innocent domestic violence victims have never been more vulnerable than they are today, yet when given the chance to right that wrong, every member of the Senate’s Supermajority chose to block my amendment,” said Senator Sue Serino. “To do so while simultaneously passing a resolution that recognizes this week as ‘National Crime Victims’ Rights Week,’ is the height of hypocrisy. New Yorkers deserve better, and we are not going to stop pushing until this Legislature stops putting criminals ahead of law-abiding citizens and vulnerable victims.”

When arguing to advance her amendment, Senator Serino noted that while our old laws allowed judges to set bail on any offenders charged with a family offense, New York’s disastrous bail reform measures—even with the last-minute budget changes—continue to handcuff judges, preventing them from setting bail on many serious and inherently violent offenses, including:

o   Assault in the Third Degree;

o   Menacing in the Second Degree (someone threatening another person with a weapon);

o   Most stalking offenses (including stalking someone while displaying or possessing a gun or other weapon);

o   False Imprisonment in the Second Degree; and

o   Aggravated Family Offense

“We can all agree that we need strong laws to protect domestic violence victims and empower survivors,” Serino continued. “However, the most important law that we can pass to do that is one that fully reverses these dangerous bail policies. Ensuring public safety and protecting our most vulnerable is a fundamental function of government. One that New York State is absolutely failing at right now. It is time this body takes real action to restore common sense to our criminal justice system and go back to the drawing board on bail reform.”

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