With Rikers in crisis, Gov. Hochul to sign bill leading to release of hundreds
Gov. Kathy Hochul will sign a new bill on Friday that gives more leniency for parolees and could mean the release of inmates locked up on technical parole violations, a spokesperson told The Post.
The signing of the “Less is More” Act comes as Rikers Island faces an ongoing crisis — and while Republicans continue to slam the measure, which they say comes amid a rise in crime in New York’s big cities.
Hochul is planning to sign the act into law at her office in Manhattan at 10 a.m., joined by advocates.
“It will take collaboration at all levels of government to reach solutions, and we are still in ongoing discussions with the City and legislative leaders on what can be done to improve safety and ensure fairness and justice — both immediately and long-term.”
The bill will remove reasons to put parolees back behind bars, remove technical parole violations like being late for an appointment, missing a curfew or finding alcohol or drugs in urine samples. And the act would speed up the timeframe to judicial review for any violations.
Once made law, it would grant time off parole sentences for good behavior.
Republican leaders in the state Legislature have bashed the new measure.
“At what point are New York Democrats going to assist crime victims or keep dangerous people behind bars?” Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R-Syracuse) said in a statement to The Post.
“If there are responsible ways to improve the system, let’s make it work,” Barclay went on. “But the pendulum has swung too far away from public safety for far too long. The same people advancing and celebrating every pro-criminal policy are oddly quiet as crime rates soar and bullets are flying through the streets.”
The signing will follow continued chaos this week at Rikers, where an inmate tried to hang himself as politicians toured the facility to view its conditions firsthand. State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (D-Bronx) described conditions there as “hellish.”
City Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled a plan this week to improve conditions at the facility following the increased scrutiny. Part of the plan is cracking down on correction officer absenteeism there, he said.