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In 2018, 289 people were killed in New York City — the lowest murder rate in 50 years. Last year, the number was 485. Two hundred more lives taken annually — and a huge majority of them were African American or Hispanic men.

Albany doesn’t care. 

Obsessed with closing all jails and freeing all prisoners, the liberal leaders of the Assembly and Senate reject simple, common-sense measures that would help the justice system crack down on guns and gangs — saving the lives of the people they claim to want to help.


  Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins insists fixing the bail laws would target “black and brown and poor defendants.” Hans Pennink Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins insists fixing the bail laws would target “black and brown and poor defendants.” Hans Pennink

Mayor Adams has asked his fellow Democrats in the Legislature to help him fight crime by making some basic fixes to the no-bail and Raise the Age laws: Give judges the power to jail clearly dangerous perps, and let older teens caught with a gun be tried in criminal, not family, court, if it’s a repeat offense. 

Nothing about this is radical or discriminatory — but so far, Albany leaders say they won’t.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Gov. Hochul all insist these laws don’t need fixing. They need to hear that you think otherwise.


  Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie is hesitant to follow Mayor Eric Adams’ lead to tackle crime. James Messerschmidt Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie is hesitant to follow Mayor Eric Adams’ lead to tackle crime. James Messerschmidt

  Albany Democrats have defended its catastrophic bail laws for too long. AP Photo/Hans Pennink Albany Democrats have defended its catastrophic bail laws for too long. AP Photo/Hans Pennink

Below are the key legislators who need to get on board. Support the mayor: Call them, e-mail them — tell them what you think. Fix this now!

Assembly

 CARL HEASTIE (D-Bronx) 

Speaker 

518-455-3791

Speaker@nyassembly.gov

CRYSTAL PEOPLES-STOKES (D-Buffalo) 

Majority Leader  

518-455-5005

PeopleC@nyassembly.gov

JEFFRION AUBRY (D-Queens) 

Speaker Pro Tempore 

518-455-4561

AubryJ@nyassembly.gov

JEFFREY DINOWITZ (D-Bronx) 

Chair, Codes Committee 

518-455-5965

DinowiJ@nyassembly.gov

DAVID WEPRIN (D-Queens) 

Chair, Correction 

518-455-5806

WeprinD@nyassembly.gov

CHARLES D. LAVINE (D-Glen Cove) 

Chair, Judiciary Committee 

518-455-5456

LavineC@nyassembly.gov

Senate

 ANDREA STEWART-COUSINS (D-W’chester) 

Majority Leader  

518-455-2715

scousins@nysenate.gov

MICHAEL GIANARIS (D-Queens) 

Deputy Majority Leader  

518-455-3486

gianaris@nysenate.gov

 JAMAAL T. BAILEY (D-Bronx) 

Chair, Codes Committee 

518-455-2061

senatorjbailey@nysenate.gov

JULIA SALAZAR (D-Brooklyn) 

Chair, Crime and Correction Committee 

518-455-2177

salazar@nysenate.gov

 BRAD HOYLMAN (D-Manhattan) 

Chair, Judiciary Committee 

518-455-2451

Hoylman@nysenate.gov

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