North Country senator helps leads push for parole reform

ALBANY | Claiming pro-criminal policies and one-party rule, New York Senate Republicans have unveiled a string of parole-board reforms aimed at "keeping violent criminals behind bars." On June 1, Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt, along with Senators Dan Stec, Fred Akshar, Alexis Weik and members of the Senate Republican Conference gathered in Albany to detail the reform package and their "ongoing push to restore common sense and public safety throughout the state." "There's no question that the agenda that has been pushed by far-left Democrats and Governor Cuomo, including the so-called bail reform law, has emboldened criminals. The already challenging and dangerous job of policing has been made much more difficult. As a result, communities are becoming less and less safe. These are stressful times. Public safety has to be a priority. We need to stand up for law-abiding New Yorkers and we especially need to stand up for crime victims and their families," North Country Sen. Dan Stec said following the conference. Highlights of the Republican Parole Reform Package include: -Requiring that all victim impact statements in New York be video recorded and to require parole board review of all relevant victim impact statements prior to the conduct of a parole hearing. -Allows any person interested in the grant or denial of discretionary release the right to submit a written statement of views in support of or in opposition to the granting of discretionary release for the parole board to consider. -Allows for the removal of parole board members by a majority vote in the senate and the assembly and requires three or more members to personally interview potential parolees and requires that the determination to parole an inmate be unanimous. -Authorizes the parole board to require a violent felony offender to serve the maximum term, if, by clear and convincing evidence, a release would pose an imminent threat to society and authorizes the withholding of good behavior allowances of violent felony offenders by the state board of parole upon such a finding. Republican leaders quoted Police Benevolent Association of New York statistics that found the parole board released at least 20 "cop killers" since 2017 and that Democratic-led proposals, such as the Elder Parole and Fair and Timely Parole Acts, would make some of New York's most dangerous criminals automatically eligible for parole, including David Berkowitz, the "Son of Sam", and Mark David Chapman, who murdered John Lennon in 1980.

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North Country senator helps leads push for parole reform

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