Nassau Standard

Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt, and Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly have urged the Governor and the Legislature to consider including substantial reforms to discovery laws in this year's final state budget. The Senate Republicans emphasized the importance of addressing shortcomings within the criminal justice system to better support victims, families, and communities.

Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick stated, “Since 2019, the Legislature has had its thumb on the scales of justice in favor of criminal defendants, and it has come at the expense of victims and public safety. Cases brought forward, which arise from real harm inflicted upon victims and communities, should not be dismissed due to minor technicalities. Victims deserve better, communities deserve better, and all New Yorkers deserve better, which is why it is urgent that we fix our discovery laws.”

District Attorney Anne Donnelly, drawing on her extensive experience, said, “As a prosecutor with over 32 years of experience, and as the District Attorney of one of the largest counties in the state, I’ve witnessed firsthand how 'Cashless Bail' and 'Discovery Reform’ Laws have compromised public safety. Since the implementation of these laws, we’ve seen a revolving door of justice, where criminals walk free on technicalities while victims continue to suffer. These laws have made it harder for law enforcement and prosecutors to do their jobs, jeopardizing public safety and leaving our communities vulnerable. This is not a justice system that protects the people of New York.”

Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt criticized the existing laws by stating, “Our Senate Republican Conference has been sounding the alarms on the disastrous consequences of so-called discovery reform since it was implemented in 2019. And the results speak for themselves: criminal case dismissals are increasing dramatically, less cases are going to trial, and more criminals are slipping through the cracks, further eroding public safety in our communities. The reforms proposed by the Governor in her budget were at least a step in the right direction, but once again our colleagues in the Senate Majority have shown they have zero regard for public safety. It’s time to stop prioritizing criminals over crime victims.”

These calls from Republican leaders come amid state budget negotiations between the Governor's office and the Senate and Assembly majorities. Recent legislative drafts have omitted adjustments to New York State's discovery laws, as proposed in the Governor’s Executive Budget. Reports indicate that New York City's criminal courts have experienced a 455% increase—amounting to about 50,000 cases—in forced dismissals since the 2019 changes in the discovery laws.