Senator Julia Salazar, Chair of Crime Victims, Crime and Correction, released the following statement:  

“I applaud Governor Hochul for signing a version of the Prison Reform Omnibus Bill into law, bringing desperately needed transparency, oversight, and accountability to New York's prisons. Although the final legislative package does not include everything we sought, it is still a serious step toward making our State prisons less violent. For too long, our prisons have been plagued by staff abuse toward incarcerated individuals, with little to no recourse. Just last December, prison staff brutally murdered Robert Brooks, a young, Black man. And then a few months later, a different set of prison staff murdered Messiah Nantwi, another young, Black man. These are just two men whose murders we are aware of, but there are plenty of others whose names we will never know. The amended Prison Reform Omnibus Bill is not the end of our struggle. I look forward to ensuring this law is properly implemented and to building on our fight for reform. Our campaign includes parole justice, sentencing reform, expanded pathways home, and treatment in place of incarceration. This is how we will reduce prison violence and make our communities truly safe."