MONTICELLO, NY — “Protecting the public is one of the most important responsibilities of government,” said Sen. Peter Oberacker (NY-51). “When a crime has been committed, the victim—not the criminal—must be our first concern.”

Oberacker was speaking at an April 14 press conference, held in partnership with Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther and Acting District Attorney Brian Conaty, advocating for changes to New York State’s bail reform policies.

The New York State budget has been delayed over two weeks, and reports indicate that Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposal to give judges discretion in setting bail, as well as a proposal to increase housing in the state, have been stumbling blocks.

Bail reform has let dangerous criminals on the street and made it harder for law enforcement to operate, Oberacker said. He highlighted legislation he had introduced and/or supported against bail reform, including “Billy’s Law,” which was introduced by former Sullivan County Sen. Mike Martucci on the death of Forestburgh firefighter Billy Steinberg. Steinberg died of a heart attack while responding to a fire set by a man who had been charged with arson twice in the days prior and had been released.

Gunther told attendees that her father, grandfather, uncles and nephew all served or are serving as police officers, and that she had voted against bail reform at its inception. “I think that this bail reform, as well as the housing, didn’t really belong in the budget,” she said.

Gunther highlighted as well the $1 billion allocated in the year’s mental health budget. “We are creating many more mental health beds,” she said. “We know a lot of times these crimes are associated with mental health issues.”

The changes had restricted judges and made the state less safe, said Conaty. “I’ve practiced under the prior bail laws, and I’ve also practiced under the new bail reform. I’ve seen the stark difference in their application and effects.”