ALAA Call on Legislators to Reject Governor Kathy Hochul’s Proposed Changes to New York’s Transformative and Effective Bail Reform Law
April 5, 2023
Contact: Meghna Philip
Cell: 646-445-9116
(NEW YORK, NY) - The Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (ALAA - UAW Local 2325), New York City’s largest legal service labor union representing nearly 3,000 public interest attorneys and advocates, released the following statement urging Albany lawmakers to reject Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed changes to New York’s transformative and effective bail reform law:
“We’re proud to stand with our brothers and sisters at District Council 37 - New York City’s largest public employee union - as well as public defenders, advocates, law professors and impacted communities to speak out against Governor Kathy Hochul’s politically-driven and meritless campaign to undo New York’s transformative and effective bail reform law.
“Despite pledging to follow the data, which continues to confirm bail reform’s success, Governor Hochul’s policy-making seems to be driven by sensationalized reporting and short-sighted “tough on crime” politics.
“It is unconscionable that the Governor is making jailing more Black, brown and low-income people without a conviction her top priority. Amid this campaign of fear and misinformation, bail amounts have gone up. Jail populations have gone up. Racial disparities have gone up. Deaths behind bars have skyrocketed.
“Governor Hochul cannot continue holding up the entire State budget just to ram through unnecessary and nonsensical changes to the bail laws. ALAA calls on Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and legislators, to continue to stand against these misguided policies and advance a budget that truly serves the needs of our members and all New Yorkers.”
###
ALAA - UAW Local 2325 is the nation’s oldest labor union of public defenders and legal services workers. Encompassing almost 3,000 members, ALAA represents the workers of the Legal Aid Society, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, The Bronx Defenders, Queens Defenders, Brooklyn Defender Services, Appellate Advocates, The Office of the Appellate Defender, The Center for Appellate Litigation, and dozens more organizations.