FINANCE

The New York State Judiciary requested $3.3 billion in operating spending for fiscal year 2023-2024, with Chief Administrative Judge Tamiko Amaker emphasizing the need to restore court operations depleted by pandemic-related staffing losses and address mounting case backlogs during a joint legislative budget hearing Tuesday. Judge Amaker told the Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means committees that the Judiciary lost nearly 2,900 nonjudicial employees—approximately 17 percent of its workforce—between 2010 and the end of 2021, with the exodus accelerated by a hiring freeze during the pandemic. The budget request includes funding for 20 new Supreme and Family Court judgeships, a 3 percent increase in civil legal services funding, and implementation of collective bargaining agreements costing $130 million retroactively. Judge Amaker cited significant backlogs: approximately 81,000 cases in New York City Family Court, 21,000 in Criminal Court, and 11,000 to 12,000 in Criminal Supreme Court. She highlighted a Gun Parts initiative that resolved 2,600 cases and emphasized judicial security concerns, noting a 40 percent increase in threats against judges from 2020 to 2022. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Brad Hoylman-Sigal pressed Judge Amaker on whether judicial training on criminal justice reforms should be mandatory statewide, expressing concern that some judges may not be complying with bail reform laws. He also questioned whether training materials should be shared with the Legislature and whether the judicial selection process should be more transparent. Judge Amaker acknowledged that while training is mandatory in New York City Criminal Court, it is not mandatory outside the city, though she noted the overwhelming majority of judges participate. Assembly Judiciary Committee Chair Charles Lavine raised concerns about assigned counsel compensation caps, noting that at the proposed rate of $158 per hour in the metropolitan area, attorneys on a two-week trial could exceed the anticipated $10,000 case cap. Judge Amaker acknowledged this would need to be examined. Lavine also urged expansion of the Gun Parts program beyond New York City, calling gun violence a national pandemic. Judge Amaker expressed strong support for the proposed Judicial Protection Act, which would remove judges' personal information from public records, citing the chilling effect of threats on judicial recruitment and safety. NEW YORK — The Office of Court Administration defended its 2023-2024 budget request during a joint legislative hearing Tuesday, with Acting Chief Administrative Judge Amaker facing pointed questions about security details for a former chief judge, court backlogs, and implementation of bail reform. Sen. Mike Gianaris (D) aggressively questioned who approved ongoing security protection for the former chief judge, pressing Amaker on whether it was appropriate for OCA to provide such protection to a former employee. Amaker explained that over 50 threats had been investigated against the former judge, including a 2018 incident where a litigant stalked her to her vacation home and restaurant. Gianaris remained skeptical, arguing that law enforcement has protocols for protecting threatened New Yorkers and questioning why OCA should make that determination for someone no longer in the judiciary. Amaker declined to confirm whether the security detail was still active, citing safety concerns. The hearing also focused on court backlogs, which Amaker attributed largely to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. He reported that OCA processed 2.1 million filings and resolved nearly 2.1 million cases in the past year, but acknowledged significant backlogs remain in Criminal Term Supreme Court, Family Court, Housing Court, and Surrogate's Court. The OCA is requesting $43 million in additional appropriations for an 18-B attorney rate increase and funding for approximately 20 new judges. Sen. Jamaal Bailey (D) questioned whether judges were properly trained on recent bail reform changes, particularly the "harm on harm" provision enacted in May 2022. Amaker confirmed judges received mandatory training on May 6, 2022, three days before the provision took effect, with updates distributed in April. Assemblyman Morinello raised concerns about Raise the Age legislation, noting that sealed Family Court records prevent law enforcement from assessing dangerousness when investigating individuals over 18. Amaker responded that judges are not permitted to consider dangerousness under New York law, a restriction he acknowledged puts the state out of step with most other states. Sen. Kevin Thomas (D) highlighted a specific problem in Housing Court: judges are still applying 9 percent judgment interest despite a 2011 law reducing the rate to 2 percent for consumer debt matters. He called it a "miscarriage of justice" and requested immediate rectification. The hearing, held before the Senate Finance Committee and Assembly Ways and Means Committee, revealed tensions between the Legislature's oversight role and the judiciary's independence, with lawmakers pressing for accountability while Amaker repeatedly noted that judges cannot be directed in their decision-making. NEW YORK — Acting Chief Administrative Judge Amaker faced pointed questioning from state legislators on February 7 during a joint budget hearing, with lawmakers challenging the judiciary's commitment to diversion courts, judicial training on new laws, and access to legal services for low-income New Yorkers. Sen. Ramos directly challenged Judge Amaker over the judiciary's $2 million budget allocation for diversion courts, noting that an additional $15 million could expand the programs statewide beyond Brooklyn and Ontario counties where they currently function. "How committed are you if you're not proposing an expansion in your budget?" Ramos asked, citing that incarceration costs slightly more than half a million dollars per person. Judge Amaker attributed the lack of expansion to declining usage of diversion courts, saying parties must be willing to participate. Chairwoman Krueger engaged in an extended exchange on judicial training, arguing that judges should face mandatory continuing education requirements on new laws—similar to requirements for doctors, lawyers, and legislators—with testing to verify competency. She expressed skepticism that judges automatically understand new legislation, noting that the judiciary cannot assume judges know current laws simply because they have been elected. Judge Amaker defended the judiciary's training efforts, noting that implicit bias and sexual harassment training are already mandatory. Assemblyman Burgos raised concerns about mandatory court fees and surcharges, citing a 2017 New York City Comptroller report showing 139,000 surcharges totaling nearly $19 million imposed in criminal court. He questioned whether the court system was becoming dependent on fee collection, comparing it to the Ferguson, Missouri police department's "policing for profit" practices. Judge Amaker stated the judiciary's budget is not dependent on court fees but acknowledged collecting $500 million annually across all courts. Sen. Hoylman-Sigal pressed the judge on Housing Court access to counsel, noting that constituents are being evicted without attorneys despite New York City's right to counsel law. Judge Amaker said a Housing Court Working Group is working on caseload determinations but could not provide a specific timeline for results. Assemblyman Epstein criticized the proposed 3 percent increase in civil legal services funding ($115 million to $116 million), arguing it was insufficient given increased poverty and legal service needs across the state. Judge Amaker attributed the modest increase to recruitment challenges rather than funding constraints. The hearing, held before the Senate Finance Committee and Assembly counterparts, focused on the 2023-2024 executive budget for public protection. The Governor proposed a $121 million increase to the courts overall. NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE — A joint legislative hearing on the 2023-2024 Executive Budget for public protection revealed stark disparities in state funding for criminal defense versus Family Court representation, with officials warning of potential constitutional liability similar to the landmark Hurrell-Harring lawsuit. Patricia Warth, director of the Office of Indigent Legal Services, testified that while criminal defense has benefited from significant state investment since 2018—resulting in lower attorney caseloads and increased spending per case—Family Court representation remains critically underfunded. Attorneys in Family Court cases carry caseloads significantly higher than their criminal defense counterparts and receive less than half the spending per case, Warth said. She requested $28 million in additional Family Court funding but the Executive Budget includes only $4.5 million. "What we are talking about in practical terms is brown and Black families being torn apart," Warth testified, noting that inadequate legal representation in Family Court leads to higher rates of children being removed from parents and placed in foster care, with disproportionate impact on families of color. Warth also criticized the Governor's proposed 18-B assigned counsel rate increase, which has not been raised since 2004. While the Executive Budget proposes increases, Warth identified "fundamental flaws," including a geographic disparity paying upstate attorneys $119 per hour versus $158 downstate, case caps that discourage quality representation, and lack of state funding for the increases. She urged legislators to eliminate the geographic distinction, remove case caps, provide state funding, and establish a mechanism for periodic increases. Robert Tembeckjian, administrator of the Commission on Judicial Conduct, reported record disciplinary activity in 2022, with 2,400 complaints received and 25 judges publicly disciplined—the highest number since 2009. However, he highlighted a critical vulnerability: judges can evade discipline by resigning. Tembeckjian noted that judges resign to avoid accountability at least twice yearly, sometimes even after disciplinary hearings have begun. He pointed out that New York is an outlier among 38 states that make disciplinary proceedings public once formal charges are filed and allow continued jurisdiction over judges who resign after charges are brought. Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal pressed Tembeckjian on transparency, noting that if a judge misused state resources—as reportedly occurred earlier in the day—and then resigned, "they're scot-free." Tembeckjian confirmed the jurisdiction gap, saying "If the judge has left office, our jurisdiction is gone." Assemblyman Lavine asked whether judges often resign due to misconduct investigations. Tembeckjian acknowledged it "is often the case" that early resignation by judges facing news reports of potential misconduct is "at least a factor in their early departure." The hearing, held Feb. 7 before the Senate Finance Committee and Assembly Ways and Means Committee, underscored legislative frustration with systemic inequities in legal representation and accountability gaps in judicial discipline. Legislators signaled support for increased funding and legislative reforms, though the path to enactment remains uncertain as budget negotiations continue. NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE — A joint legislative committee hearing on the 2023-2024 Executive Budget for public protection revealed significant tensions over judicial conduct, public defense funding, and cybersecurity priorities on Tuesday. The hearing's most pointed exchange centered on deed theft affecting Black and brown New Yorkers. Sen. Zellnor Myrie criticized the Commission on Judicial Conduct for insufficient action on property theft cases, noting that the Office of Court Administration and Kings County public administrator declined to testify at a prior hearing on the issue. Administrator Tembeckjian acknowledged the Commission's limited authority—it cannot reverse judicial decisions even if bias is suspected—but said judges can be disciplined for lack of competence or ethical violations. On public defense, Director Warth of Indigent Legal Services urged the state to fund increases to assigned counsel rates under Article 18-B, estimating the cost at $150 million to $180 million annually based on 2019 case numbers. She warned that when the state failed to fund a 2004 rate increase, counties cut public defense services, leading directly to the Kaye Commission report and the Hurrell-Harring settlement. Sen. Bailey expressed strong support, emphasizing that rate increases affect real families and recidivism rates. Chairwoman Krueger asked both testifiers whether mandatory judicial training would help address systemic problems; both agreed it would. Data presented showed mixed results from bail reform. While Director Warth cited significant reductions in pretrial detention in five Hurrell-Harring counties post-reform, Assemblywoman Walker noted that average bail amounts have doubled from $5,000 to nearly $10,000 since 2019. Director Warth cautioned that pandemic impacts make it difficult to isolate bail reform's effects; 2022 caseloads remain below pre-pandemic 2018-2019 levels statewide. On cybersecurity, DHSES Commissioner Bray and OITS Deputy CIO Lorenz outlined a $9 billion agency budget and $33 million in new cybersecurity funding. They described the newly operational Joint Security Operations Center (JSOC) as a national model for state-local cybersecurity coordination. Commissioner Bray detailed recent threats including cyberattacks, a domestic terror attack killing 10 New Yorkers, and severe weather, justifying $63 million in new appropriations for volunteer firefighter support and cybersecurity expansion. The hearing highlighted ongoing debates over judicial accountability, criminal justice reform implementation, and state funding obligations for public defense. NEW YORK STATE OFFICIALS DEFEND CYBERSECURITY AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE BUDGETS AT JOINT LEGISLATIVE HEARING State officials testified before the Joint Legislative Committee on Finance on Tuesday that New York is adequately funded to combat escalating cybersecurity threats and respond to natural disasters, even as lawmakers questioned the scope and adequacy of proposed initiatives. The hearing, focused on the 2023-2024 Executive Budget for public protection, featured testimony from Deputy CIO Lorenz of the Office of Information Technology Services and Commissioner Bray of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. Both agencies outlined plans to expand cybersecurity protections to local governments and counties following a series of high-profile ransomware attacks. DHSES Commissioner Bray reported that the state responded to 54 cyberattacks on localities, school boards, and critical infrastructure this year. The administration is requesting $30 million to expand endpoint protection and other cybersecurity services to counties and municipalities. Currently, 43 counties and five major cities outside New York City have signed up for the program, which is expected to protect approximately 64,000 endpoints over the next few months. The program was developed in response to a December 2022 ransomware attack on Suffolk County that shut down government operations and resulted in the theft of nearly 4 terabytes of data. Commissioner Bray said the endpoint protection services the state is now providing would have "interrupted" such attacks, though he could not guarantee they would have prevented them entirely. Sen. Gonzalez pressed officials on the specifics of the cybersecurity rollout, asking what percentage of state agencies have implemented multifactor authentication and how the state is measuring progress. Deputy CIO Lorenz said the state has completed MFA rollout for public-facing websites and is pursuing a multilayered defense approach including identity access management and the "One ID" initiative. The hearing also addressed the state's response to the December 2022 Buffalo blizzard, which Commissioner Bray characterized as "the longest blizzard in the continental United States history below 5,000 feet of elevation." The storm killed 47 people, including 27 from Erie County. State personnel made 650 saves during the response effort. Sen. Borrello, a Western New Yorker, questioned whether the driving ban was imposed too late, noting that people had already left for work when the ban took effect. Commissioner Bray acknowledged the decision was "brutally tough" but noted that such decisions are delegated to counties and localities, not the state. Commissioner Bray said the state will conduct a formal after-action review of the blizzard response over the next several months. He emphasized that the primary challenge was not equipment or personnel—the state deployed over 1,000 pieces of equipment and hundreds of personnel—but rather access and mobility, as blizzard conditions prevented first responders from deploying for 12 to 18 hours. The budget also includes $10 million for a new volunteer firefighter training stipend program. Commissioner Bray said the state would provide $750 per firefighter for completing basic training and $1,250 for interior firefighter certification. Sen. Ashby questioned whether the funding was adequate, calculating that it would amount to roughly $6,000 per department across the state's approximately 1,600 volunteer firefighters. Additionally, Commissioner Bray announced that Governor Hochul's $10 million recurring appropriation for counterterrorism efforts continues this year, with a focus on establishing threat assessment and management teams across the state to prevent targeted violence, particularly mass shootings. He also highlighted the administration's efforts to combat antisemitic hate crimes, which he called "the greatest threat we face right now," noting that Jewish people comprise 2-3 percent of the population but are targets of close to two-thirds of religious-based hate crimes. The hearing revealed some tension between state officials and lawmakers over the adequacy of proposed funding levels and the pace of cybersecurity implementation across local governments. Several legislators expressed concern that smaller municipalities remain particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks and questioned whether the state should provide additional funding to help them improve their security posture. NEW YORK STATE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE EXAMINES 2023-2024 PUBLIC PROTECTION BUDGET AMID VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER CRISIS AND CYBERSECURITY CONCERNS The New York State Senate Finance Committee held a joint legislative hearing on February 7, 2023, to examine the executive budget for public protection, with testimony from Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Bray and OITS Deputy CIO Lorenz. The hearing revealed significant concerns about the adequacy of proposed investments in emergency services and cybersecurity infrastructure. Commissioner Bray acknowledged a "crisis" in the volunteer fire service, citing a 160 percent increase in mutual aid requests over the past decade. The budget allocates $10 million for volunteer firefighter recruitment and proposes 28 new positions, including 18 fire protection specialists to expand training capacity. Firefighters will receive stipends of $750 for basic training and an additional $1,250 for interior firefighting training. However, Sen. Ashby questioned whether $10 million was sufficient given that 76 percent reported crisis-level issues in the sector. Cybersecurity emerged as a major concern, particularly following the Suffolk County ransomware attack. Sen. Murray pressed Commissioner Bray on whether protective measures were available to counties before the attack, noting that cost may have been a factor in the county's vulnerability. Commissioner Bray acknowledged that cybersecurity protections rolled out in the current budget "would have seen a very different scenario in Suffolk County" had they been available earlier. The state is conducting an after-action report on the Suffolk attack and has committed to sharing lessons learned. The budget includes $20 million for 911 system modernization, transitioning from copper wire to fiber infrastructure to enable transmission of video and audio files to first responders. Commissioner Bray acknowledged that current GPS systems in 911 centers are less advanced than food delivery apps, contributing to incidents where calls were routed to New Jersey instead of New York. The modernization is expected to take three to five years. Sen. Stec raised critical concerns about cell service gaps in the Adirondacks and North Country, where half to the majority of 911 calls originate from cellphones. He corrected Commissioner Bray's assertion that local government was blocking cellular expansion, stating the issue is economic and urging state partnership funding similar to broadband initiatives. OITS Deputy CIO Lorenz reported that the state has blocked TikTok on state devices since 2020, with exceptions only in extraordinary circumstances. The agency supports 150,000 state employees and has conducted over 50 job fairs this year for IT recruitment. The budget includes $15 million for e-procurement system modernization to leverage electronic signatures and e-notary services. The hearing underscored tensions between budget allocations and identified needs across emergency services, cybersecurity, and rural infrastructure, with several senators questioning whether proposed investments adequately address documented crises. NEW YORK STATE BUDGET HEARING FOCUSES ON PUBLIC PROTECTION SPENDING, CRIME REDUCTION PROGRAMS Albany — State officials testified before the Joint Legislative Committee on Finance on Tuesday about Governor Kathy Hochul's 2023-2024 Executive Budget for public protection agencies, with testimony highlighting significant investments in gun violence reduction, cybersecurity, and criminal justice initiatives. The Division of Criminal Justice Services reported that reported shootings dropped 17 percent in New York City and 15 percent in Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) jurisdictions in 2022, representing 453 fewer shootings than the previous year. Commissioner Rossana Rosado said the Governor's proposed budget provides $100 million to support law enforcement agencies and community-based organizations with evidence-informed programs including SNUG Street Outreach and the Crime Analysis Center network, which serves more than 350 law enforcement agencies across 43 counties and responds to over 60,000 assistance requests annually. The proposed budget would double funding for GIVE initiatives to $36.4 million, quadruple Aid to Prosecution funding to $52.5 million, and triple County Re-Entry Task Forces funding to $11.5 million—the first increase in over a decade. New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven Nigrelli reported that the agency seized 2,026 illegal guns between August 2021 and December 2022, a 138 percent increase. He emphasized the need for increased staffing to combat gun violence and the opioid crisis, noting the agency did not graduate a new trooper class for two years due to pandemic-era hiring freezes. The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision reported alarming increases in prison violence, with 1,469 assaults on staff in 2022—a 25 percent increase from 2021—and 1,486 incarcerated-on-incarcerated assaults, a 34 percent increase. Acting Commissioner Anthony Annucci described a Prison Violence Task Force and new initiatives including SAVE (Supervision Against Violent Engagement) to identify high-risk parolees. Cybersecurity dominated much of the hearing, with DHSES Commissioner Bray discussing the Joint Security Operations Center with the Office of Information Technology Services for real-time threat information sharing. However, Chairwoman Liz Krueger expressed frustration with decades-long delays in state technology modernization, citing the WMS welfare system that has operated since the late 1980s and is not expected to be fully replaced until 2026. Sen. O'Mara pressed Commissioner Bray on electric grid cybersecurity resources and emerging threats like electromagnetic pulses, while Sen. Scarcella-Spanton questioned whether volunteer firefighter fee proposals should be requirements rather than options, noting the state has lost approximately 20,000 volunteer firefighters over the past decade. The hearing was held February 7, 2023. NEW YORK STATE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE QUESTIONS EVIDENCE FOR BAIL REFORM CHANGES IN 2023-2024 BUDGET Albany — State senators challenged the empirical basis for proposed bail reform changes during a joint legislative hearing on the 2023-2024 Executive Budget for public protection agencies on Tuesday, with data presented by the Division of Criminal Justice Services showing no significant difference in failure-to-appear rates between defendants charged with qualifying and non-qualifying offenses. DCJS Commissioner Rosado testified that current data shows failure-to-appear and rearrest rates are "basically flat" across offense categories, yet the Governor's budget proposes removing the "least-restrictive-means" standard for bail determinations. Sen. Jamaal Bailey pressed Rosado on what evidence supports the proposed changes, noting that "the empirical data doesn't necessarily match with the specific requested changes at present time." Sen. Patrick Gallivan went further, arguing that any level of failure-to-appear or rearrest is unacceptable and questioning why New York is the only state not allowing judges to consider dangerousness to the community in bail decisions. Rosado countered that "bail has never been a crime-prevention tool" and that the focus should be on other innovative approaches to crime prevention. On gun violence prevention, Commissioner Rosado reported that SNUG site shootings have declined 32 percent and GIVE site shootings 15 percent, but the budget maintains $21 million in SNUG funding unchanged from the prior year. Sen. Bailey questioned whether this amount is sufficient given rising gun violence concerns. Acting DOCCS Commissioner Annucci testified that an $8 million budget increase will fund the SAVE initiative, which targets 66 positions focused on high-risk individuals released from prison. He also outlined plans to acquire 80 body scanners for correctional facilities at an estimated cost of $13 million, and disclosed that the department currently has 867 corrections officer vacancies with projections of 1,150 by year-end. The budget proposes lowering the minimum age for corrections officers from 21 to 19, which Annucci justified by comparing the role to military service and citing rigorous screening procedures. Assemblyman Dilan asked whether the department had data on how many 21-year-olds currently serve as corrections officers, which Annucci said he would provide later. On HALT compliance, Sen. Hoylman-Sigal noted that 52 percent of inmates in special housing units exceeded the 15-day limit as of October 1st, declining to 42 percent by December 1st. Annucci said the department is "very, very close" to full compliance and is rapidly moving inmates to residential rehabilitation units. Acting State Police Superintendent Nigrelli reported no complaints or arrests under the concealed carry law since its implementation and discussed a $100 million proposal for a satellite forensic lab in Albany. He also noted that 77 million visitors use New York's state parks annually and that 39 Park Police candidates are currently in the academy. The hearing revealed significant disagreement between legislative Democrats on whether proposed bail reform changes are justified by available data, with some senators advocating for judicial training on existing reforms rather than legislative changes. NEW YORK STATE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY JOINT HEARING ON 2023-2024 PUBLIC PROTECTION BUDGET — FEBRUARY 7, 2023 Corrections officials faced sharp questioning Tuesday over rising prison violence and the implementation of the HALT Act, which limits solitary confinement, as lawmakers expressed concern that the state's incarcerated population may surge as courts return to full capacity. Acting Commissioner Brian Annucci reported that assaults on staff increased 25 percent in 2022, with incarcerated-on-incarcerated assaults up 34 percent. He acknowledged the violence trend is continuing into 2023 and temporarily suspended certain HALT Act provisions due to safety concerns, including a requirement that incarcerated individuals move unrestrained to programs. Sen. Jim Stec raised pointed concerns about the HALT Act's implementation, arguing that unlimited tablet and phone access in Residential Rehabilitation Units (RRUs) creates perverse incentives. "You're giving it away and you're not letting them earn it," Stec said, noting that privileges in RRUs exceed those available in the general population or Honor Block. Annucci defended the tablets as mitigation for isolation, noting that incarcerated individuals spent 54 million minutes on phones in 2022. Assemblyman Giglio pressed Annucci on staffing levels and overtime, learning that corrections officers can work 16 hours per day with no limit on consecutive days. The department reported 750 new staff signed up in January through an open enrollment system, but recruitment and retention remain significant challenges. State Police Superintendent Steven Nigrelli reported a 138 percent increase in illegal weapons recovery from August 2021 to December 2022, including ghost guns. However, he acknowledged that oral fluid testing technology for detecting marijuana impairment remains years away from field deployment, disappointing Assemblyman Tannousis, who noted the previous superintendent had assured legislators two years ago that such a mechanism would be developed. DCJS Commissioner Kristen Rosado reported that the Governor's Executive Budget doubles funding for alternatives to incarceration from $15.7 million to $31.4 million. She also noted that 4,000 extreme risk protection orders have been filed since the Buffalo shooting and that 63-83 percent of justice-involved individuals have substance abuse or mental health needs. Assemblywoman Assemblywoman Walker raised concerns about the Governor's proposed bail reform, arguing that eliminating the "least restrictive means" standard could exacerbate racial disparities in bail decisions by giving judges unfettered discretion. The current incarcerated population stands at just over 31,000, with Annucci reporting an increase of about 700 between 2021 and 2022 as courts become more active. He stated the system has "thousands and thousands of vacancies" and no facility closures are planned for the current fiscal year. NEW YORK — State corrections officials faced intense scrutiny during a joint legislative budget hearing on Tuesday over the implementation of the HALT Act, which restricts solitary confinement, as violence in prisons continues to surge despite nearly a year of implementation. Executive Deputy Commissioner Martuscello acknowledged that the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) has spent over $110 million in capital funding for HALT implementation, exceeding the initial $69 million allocation, yet the agency remains out of compliance with the law's core requirement that incarcerated individuals spend no more than 15 consecutive days in solitary confinement. As of the hearing, 21 individuals remained beyond that threshold, down from a peak of over 200. The compliance challenges come amid a dramatic surge in prison violence. DOCCS reported a 25 percent increase in assaults on staff and a 34 percent increase in incarcerated-on-incarcerated assaults since HALT's April implementation. Acting Commissioner Annucci attributed the violence partly to a small number of individuals challenging authority and noted that the agency is struggling with a shortage of 2,900 corrections officers. Chairwoman Liz Krueger pressed officials on whether HALT is the right approach, noting that approximately 40 percent of the segregated confinement population is on the Office of Mental Health caseload. She questioned whether alternative models should be considered for mentally ill individuals cycling through the system. The hearing also revealed a troubling reentry crisis. Krueger cited data showing that 50 percent of DOCCS releases now go directly to the New York City shelter system, up from 23 percent in 2014. DOCCS has launched transitional housing programs, including the Edgecombe facility with 70 beds and a stipend program offering up to $100 weekly for 12 weeks to incentivize housing placements. Corrections officials also reported 113 deaths in DOCCS custody in 2022, including two homicides. One homicide was committed by a 54-year-old who would have been protected under HALT's special population exemption—which shields those under 19 and over 55 from solitary confinement—had he been six months older. Senator Jamaal Bailey questioned whether the $50 million allocated for HALT in previous budgets was adequately spent and requested detailed post-hearing data on compliance. He also pressed for faster rollout of state ID programs, noting that only 20 facilities have the capability, representing less than half of New York's prisons. The Division of Criminal Justice Services reported that its GIVE program, which targets violent crime, supports 20 police departments in 17 counties representing approximately 80 percent of violent crime outside New York City. Commissioner Rosado confirmed that additional funding in the Governor's proposal can expand the program to new jurisdictions. The hearing underscored the tension between lawmakers' commitment to reducing incarceration and the operational challenges facing corrections officials managing a system experiencing unprecedented violence. NEW YORK — State corrections and criminal justice officials faced pointed questions Tuesday about data gaps in bail reform implementation and substance abuse treatment alternatives during a joint legislative hearing on the 2023-2024 Executive Budget focused on public protection. Assemblyman Brown pressed the Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner and other agency heads on missing metrics, particularly how many people are appearing in court after receiving desk appearance tickets and whether the state tracks involuntary substance abuse treatment agreements as an alternative to incarceration post-bail reform. DCJS Commissioner Rosado acknowledged the agency does not currently track the latter data point, though indicated it could be obtained. The hearing also featured testimony from criminal justice advocates and community organizations. The Center for Community Alternatives opposed the Governor's proposal to eliminate the least restrictive standard for bail without replacement, arguing that 33 other states use such a standard and none have no standard at all. Katie Schaffer cited Michigan research showing that sealing criminal records increases employment by 11 percent and earnings by 25 percent, and argued the Clean Slate Act could generate $7 billion in economic benefits for New York State. Jose Saldana of the Release Aging People in Prison Campaign advocated for elder parole legislation, claiming that releasing aging and infirm prisoners could save $500 million annually and noting that recidivism rates for people released at age 66 or older are zero percent. Corrections officials provided detailed data on the new vendor package program, reporting dramatic reductions in contraband: from 924 instances in 2020 to just 30 since the program's implementation. They also reported a 13 percent decrease in Narcan usage from 2021 to 2022, though noted a 64 percent increase in visitor arrests. Assemblywoman Kelles questioned whether New York's earned time credits for incarcerated individuals are overly restrictive compared to other states, including Alabama and Texas, and asked for a deeper analysis of violence trends in prisons, noting that five-person-or-more fights increased from 70 instances in 2021 to 110 in 2022. The hearing also included testimony from the Firefighters Association of the State of New York, which expressed support for the Governor's budget proposals on volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention, though called for permanent statutory funding mechanisms. The state has lost 20,000 volunteer firefighters over the past 20 years, and almost 80 percent of fire protection services outside New York City are provided by volunteers. Law enforcement unions and prosecutors testified before the Senate Finance Committee on February 7 regarding the 2023-2024 Executive Budget's public protection provisions, painting a dire picture of recruitment, retention, and safety challenges across multiple agencies. The New York State Park Police faces a 40% reduction in officers since 2003, with current staffing at just 178 officers protecting 287 state parks and historic sites visited by 78 million people annually. Frank McGarity, director of the Park Police Sergeants Benevolent Association, attributed the exodus to an outdated 25-year retirement plan while nearly every other law enforcement agency in New York offers 20-year retirement. The Legislature has passed the 20-year retirement bill with near-unanimous bipartisan support repeatedly, only to see it vetoed. McGarity noted the force has lost 11 women officers since 2019, undermining efforts to meet the Governor's 30x30 initiative to increase women in law enforcement to 30% by 2030. State Police investigators reported being down 100 investigators statewide and needing approximately 200 more for effective operations. Tim Dymond, president of the State Police Investigators Association, highlighted a 470% increase in TERPO cases from 2021 to 2022, with each case requiring roughly eight hours of preparation. Correctional facilities face what Michael Powers, president of NYSCOPBA, called the worst morale crisis in his 33 years with the agency. Powers presented data showing 2022 was the most violent year in correctional history, with record-setting inmate-on-staff and inmate-on-inmate assaults. He attributed the violence surge to the HALT Act, effective April 1, 2021, which he said prevents adequate segregation of dangerous inmates. Powers noted that two inmates were murdered by other inmates within weeks of HALT's enactment—matching the total homicides over the previous three years—and that inmates who commit murder are legally required to receive out-of-cell time in congregate settings just 15 days later. Volunteer firefighters face recruitment challenges despite providing an estimated $3.3 billion in annual economic value to the state. President Tase of FASNY advocated for increased state income tax credits (currently $200, unchanged for over 20 years) and tangible incentives like gas cards for young volunteers. District Attorneys reported severe staffing shortages while struggling to implement discovery law reforms. Mary Pat Donnelly of Rensselaer County noted she is funded for 15 assistant district attorneys but has only 10, having lost five in 2022 to higher-paying positions. Discovery now applies to every case (previously only 3%), and body camera footage and 50-a repeal have dramatically increased the volume of materials requiring review and redaction—a simple DWI case can yield eight hours of footage, complex cases over 20 hours. Several senators signaled support for the Park Police retirement benefit and pressed for HALT Act reforms. Sen. Palumbo, a former prosecutor, questioned the lack of internal discipline systems for non-violent infractions in correctional facilities. Assemblyman Palmesano asked whether correction officers were consulted during HALT implementation and whether the Governor could declare an emergency to suspend the law. NEW YORK — Advocates for immigrants, criminal defendants, and incarcerated people clashed with prosecutors' funding requests Tuesday during a joint legislative hearing on the state's 2023-2024 public protection budget, with defenders demanding parity in resources and immigrant rights groups seeking $100 million for legal representation. The Vera Institute of Justice and New York Immigration Coalition urged lawmakers to pass the Access to Representation Act and fund immigration legal services at $100 million—far exceeding the $43 million in Governor Hochul's executive budget. Shayna Kessler of Vera noted that approximately 60,000 immigrants are currently in immigration court without counsel, and cited research showing immigrants with attorneys are far more likely to win their cases. Kayla Kelechian of NYIC highlighted a case in which a three-year-old Guatemalan child was forced to defend herself in immigration court alone, and cited a 2018 study showing legal representation increased chances of remaining in the U.S. by 1,100 percent. On criminal justice, Brooklyn Defender Services executive director Lisa Schreibersdorf made a pointed demand for funding parity with district attorneys, noting prosecutors received nearly $100 million while defenders got only $7.5 million. She requested $28 million for Family Court legal services and emphasized that well-resourced defense attorneys can divert people with mental illness—60 percent of upstate prison populations—from incarceration to treatment. The New York State Defenders Association separately requested $450,000 for recruitment and retention efforts. Sen. Jamaal Bailey pressed district attorneys on why they had not fully accessed available discovery funding, exploring barriers related to county government coordination. Sen. Tom O'Mara, a former DA, expressed concern about the aggressive discovery timeline's "draconian outcomes" and asked about proposals to stagger disclosure requirements. Advocates also challenged the Governor's bail reform proposal. Yonah Zeitz of the Katal Center warned that gutting bail reform would disproportionately harm Black and brown New Yorkers and further delay closing Rikers Island, where 19 people died last year at a cost of $500,000 per person annually. Katherine Haas of the Legal Aid Society's Prisoners' Rights Project documented widespread violations of the 2021 HALT Act, which was designed to curtail solitary confinement, noting people remain in segregated confinement for weeks and months despite a 15-day statutory limit. The League of Women Voters requested $20 million for county election boards and $5 million to implement the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act, while urging full funding of $114.5 million for the campaign finance program, citing a $75 million shortfall in matching funds. The hearing, held before the Senate Finance Committee, reflected deep tensions over resource allocation in the criminal justice system, with defenders and advocates arguing that prosecutors have received disproportionate funding while vulnerable populations—immigrants, defendants, and incarcerated people—lack adequate legal representation and services. A district attorney official testified before the New York State Senate Finance Committee on February 7, 2023, that significant operational inefficiencies plague information-sharing between police and prosecutor offices, citing technological barriers as a primary obstacle to effective criminal justice administration. Ms. Schreibersdorf, testifying on the 2023-2024 executive budget for public protection, identified Microsoft OneDrive—the platform currently used by district attorneys to store case files—as particularly problematic. She explained that because the system does not permit direct file transfers, documents must be downloaded from prosecutors' accounts and then re-uploaded to police systems, a process that consumes substantial time, energy, and storage capacity. "OneDrive is a particularly bad program for sorting, finding, filing and using," Schreibersdorf stated, adding that the cumbersome process affects both law enforcement and prosecutors. She advocated for collaborative efforts to identify and implement superior technological solutions. Sen. Bailey pressed Schreibersdorf on whether statutory reforms to discovery law or bail reform were necessary to address the information-sharing challenges. Schreibersdorf declined to recommend changes to either, stating: "No. And none to bail either, thank you." Bailey appeared to seek clarity on this point for the record, suggesting the senator wanted to document the testifier's position that existing legal frameworks are adequate and that the primary barriers are technological rather than legislative. The hearing, held as part of the joint legislative budget review process, concluded at 7:38 p.m. Chairwoman Krueger announced that education budget hearings would resume the following morning at 9:30 a.m.