***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
Statement on NYS Senate Majority Proposal to Roll Back Bail Reform

The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo issued the following statement in response to a proposal by the New York State Senate Majority to roll back bail reform:

Allow the Bail Reforms to Work

Just 43 days after the NYS Senate, Assembly and Governor collaborated and passed groundbreaking legislation that addressed decades of unjust bail results and institutionalized racism, the Senate Majority now appears amenable to rolling back those reforms. This unfortunate divergence capitulates to fear mongering Republicans and law enforcement without a shred of statistically significant data.

This new proposal is nowhere near as progressive as billed and will result in exploding pretrial incarceration rates and an increase in every negative effect seen under the old law.

Even worse, it turns 180 degrees on the promise made to the poor and impoverished of New York and seeks to impose a system designed to further victimize and disenfranchise them. Instead of taking time to realize the promise of positive social and economic effects, they have started down the path of least resistance; a path that will lead to a system no better, and likely worse, than what was present prior to January 1st.

While we greatly appreciate the efforts made by the Assembly, Governor and Senate to enact this progressive legislation, we at the same time strongly urge the Senate Majority to stand firm against the unjustified and uninformed attacks against the new bail reform and reject calls to amend it.

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