In this issue…
Standing United Against Rollbacks to #BailReformNY
New York: Join Us 2/18 at NYU Law for a Conversation on #LessIsMoreNY and Parole in NYS
Standing United Against Rollbacks to #BailReformNY
New York Public Advocate Jumaane Williams hosts his first bail reform info session in Brooklyn. Katal co-sponsored the event.
In just the first month since the new bail reform law was enacted, thousands of families have been reunited across the state, while jail populations are going down. People can now keep their jobs while fighting to prove their innocence, custody of their children, their homes — but that is not at the forefront of the conversation in New York right now. Rather, opponents are continuing a campaign of lies and disinformation in an effort to repeal the law. And now the State Senate Majority is itself proposing rollbacks.
Tuesday, Newsday released a report detailing that the New York Senate Democrats are caving to misinformation, and are planning to roll back pretrial reforms including bail and discovery.
New York communities and advocates in support of the reforms are fighting back.
In response to the news about the Senate Democrats retreat, Katal released this statement by to co-founder and co-executive director, Lorenzo Jones:
“We strongly oppose rollbacks to the pretrial reform package passed last year. There should be no rollbacks of bail reform, no rollbacks to discovery reform. New York must move forward with reforming our deeply broken and racially unjust system, not going backward into profiling and driving up jail populations. We must stand strong and united against potential rollbacks to the new law because bail reform brings more justice to New Yorkers. We expect better from the Senate Democrats. We thank Speaker Heastie and the Assembly Democrats for maintaining their steadfast support for real reform.”
Bail Reform Events in New York City: In partnership with Katal, JustLeadershipUSA, Center for Court Innovation, Vocal-NY, Legal Aid, and more, New York Public Advocate Jumaane Williams continues the citywide #BailReformNY Information Sessions being held throughout February in each of the 5 boroughs — including one tonight in Queens. The purpose of the sessions is to dispel myths surrounding the new bail law and to provide impacted communities with factual information and access to services. In NYC? Details and RSVP
Watch the Brooklyn Bail Fund’s Derrick Cain speaking on the new reform law in a clip from the first info session in Brooklyn last week.
Follow us on Twitter for regular updates about the bail reform fight!
Join Us Tuesday, February 18 at NYU Law for a Conversation on #LessIsMoreNY & Parole in New York State
Join us next Tuesday, February 18 from 6-8 p.m. at the New York University School of Law for a timely conversation about the issue of parole in New York State and reincarceration for technical violations of parole, and how the #LessIsMoreNY legislation would fix this.
The event will be moderated by Emily NaPier-Singletary, co-founder and co-executive director of Unchained. Panelists include: Katal leader Marketa Edwards, bill sponsors Assemblyman Walter Mosley and Senator Brian Benjamin, and Donna Hylton, founder and executive director of A Little Piece of Light.
It’s time for the Governor and lawmakers in Albany to listen to the community, pass #LessIsMoreNY and provide the reentry support people need to successfully transition back home after periods of incarceration. New Yorker’s can no longer wait!
To learn about our effort to pass #LessIsMoreNY and for more details about our upcoming #LessIsMoreNY Forum, contact Yan Snead at ysnead@katalcenter.org or at 518.360.1534.
