Assemblyman Matt Slater (R,C-Yorktown) joined Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R,C-Pulaski), and members of the Assembly and Senate Minority Conferences at a ‘restore public safety’ press conference in Albany on Monday. The press conference was held in opposition to the 2019 bail reform laws that have caused crime to skyrocket in New York state. A Siena College poll recently showed that 55 percent of Majority lawmakers and 78 percent of Minority lawmakers see crime as a ‘serious issue’ across the state.

“The time is now to make public safety a priority and that starts by repealing the disastrous cashless bail laws and other pro-criminal policies that have made our communities less safe,” said Slater. “The longer we wait to fix this crime problem, the worse it will get. Dangerous criminals should not be allowed to wander the streets where our neighbors, friends and family members expect to feel safe and protected.

“We must restore judicial discretion to the court room to allow judges to assess the level of danger a violent offender poses to the community. I implore the governor and legislative majorities to work with us in a bipartisan fashion to put the safety of our residents ahead of their political ambitions,” concluded Slater.