Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) is co-sponsoring legislation drafted by Assemblyman Karl Brabenec (R,C,I-Deerpark) and supported by Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,C-Canandaigua) which would repeal radical efforts by Majority politicians that are slated to remake our statewide criminal justice system.

Starting January 1, judges will be forced to release a vast majority of defendants until their trials without bail, including many cartel traffickers, domestic abusers, child sex criminals and money launderers for terrorist organizations. The Majority politicians also pushed discovery laws that would make it vastly more difficult for prosecutors to protect witnesses and create a costly new compliance process.

“Appearance tickets aren’t going to convince a drug dealer from New York City to return to court in Upstate New York,” said Palmesano.

“Removing judicial discretion and preventing judges from keeping dangerous people off our streets and away from our kids was a catastrophic error. Creating new, costly unfunded mandates for district attorneys’ offices and eroding protections for witnesses and crime victims was a catastrophic error. We need the Majority politicians in Albany to stop playing politics with public safety, pass our legislation and correct this very dangerous situation they have created for the residents of our state,” said Palmesano.

Sen. Jim Tedisco is introducing companion legislation in the state Senate.

“We’re not talking about low-level offenders. We are talking about individuals who sexually abuse kids, we are talking about domestic abusers and we are talking about high-level narcotics traffickers. They should not be set free immediately following their arrests. This is much more than a dangerous and catastrophic error. This is an insult to public safety and the taxpayers of our state,” said Palmesano.