FINANCE

The New York State Judiciary requested $3.3 billion in operating spending for fiscal year 2023-2024, with a focus on restoring court operations depleted by pandemic-related staffing losses and addressing significant case backlogs, particularly in Family Court. Chief Administrative Judge Tamiko Amaker testified before joint Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means committees on Tuesday that the budget would fund 20 new Supreme and Family Court judgeships, implement collective bargaining agreements costing $130 million retroactively, and provide a 3% increase in civil legal services funding to support 82 providers statewide. Judge Amaker reported that nonjudicial court staffing had declined by approximately 2,900 employees—or 17%—since 2010, with the steepest losses during the pandemic when hiring freezes prevented replacement of departing workers. The Judiciary's budget includes $116 million for civil legal services and funding to expand e-filing and virtual court proceedings. Judge Amaker disclosed significant backlogs: approximately 81,000 cases in New York City Family Court, 21,000 in NYC Criminal Court, and 11,000 to 12,000 in NYC Criminal Supreme Court. She also highlighted a 40% increase in judicial threats from 2020 to 2022, calling for passage of the Judicial Protection Act to remove judges' personal information from public records. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Brad Hoylman-Sigal pressed Judge Amaker on whether judicial training on pretrial criminal justice reforms should be mandatory statewide, expressing concern that some judges may not be complying with bail reform laws. He requested public disclosure of training materials and judge attendance records. Assembly Judiciary Committee Chair Charles Lavine questioned the adequacy of proposed 18-B assigned counsel rates of $158 per hour in the metropolitan area and $119 elsewhere, noting that trial cases could exceed anticipated $10,000 compensation caps. The hearing, held February 7 in Albany, was the second of 13 budget hearings on the Governor's 2023-2024 spending proposal. NEW YORK — The Office of Court Administration faced intense scrutiny during a joint legislative budget hearing Tuesday over security details for a former chief judge, court backlogs, and compliance with recent bail reform laws. Acting Chief Administrative Judge Jeffrey Amaker testified that the former chief judge continues to receive security protection due to over 50 documented threats and incidents of stalking dating back to 2016, when she served as Westchester County District Attorney. The security detail was expanded in 2020 after a federal judge's son was killed by an individual who also possessed the former chief judge's photo and address. Sen. Mike Gianaris (D-Astoria), the Senate Deputy Leader, pressed Amaker repeatedly on the justification for using public resources to protect a former employee, arguing that law enforcement has standard protocols for threatened individuals. Amaker declined to confirm whether the security detail remains active, citing safety concerns. Gianaris concluded by raising separate corruption allegations, citing a Law360 report about judges receiving $2.5 billion in unreported public benefits. On court operations, Amaker reported that OCA resolved 2.1 million cases last year out of 2.1 million filings, though significant backlogs persist in Criminal Term Supreme Court, Family Court, Housing Court, and Surrogate's Court. He attributed backlogs partly to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and requested funding for additional judges and staff. Sen. Jamaal Bailey (D-Bronx) raised concerns that the Bronx was disproportionately affected when 47 judges were decertified during the pandemic. He also questioned whether judges are properly trained on recent bail reform changes, particularly the "harm on harm" provision added in May 2022. Amaker confirmed judges received mandatory training on May 6, 2022, three days before the provision took effect. Sen. Kevin Thomas (D-Levittown) identified a compliance problem: Housing Court judges are still applying 9 percent judgment interest in consumer debt cases despite a 2011 law lowering the rate to 2 percent. Amaker committed to investigating immediately. The hearing, held before the joint Finance Committee, focused on OCA's 2023-2024 budget request, which includes funding for additional judges, staff, and capital projects to address backlogs and implement recent legislative changes. NEW YORK — Acting Chief Administrative Judge Amaker faced pointed questioning from state legislators on Tuesday over the judiciary's budget priorities, judicial training, and access to justice, during a joint legislative hearing on the 2023-2024 executive budget for public protection. Sen. Ramos challenged the judiciary's commitment to diversion courts, noting that only $2 million is currently budgeted despite evidence that $15 million could expand the programs statewide. Diversion courts currently operate only in Brooklyn and Ontario counties. Amaker acknowledged the decline in usage but attributed it to lack of party interest rather than judicial reluctance. Ramos countered that incarceration costs exceed $500,000 per person, making diversion expansion a cost-effective alternative. Chairwoman Krueger raised broader concerns about judicial training, arguing that judges should face mandatory continuing education requirements similar to doctors and lawyers. She expressed skepticism that judges understand new laws passed by the Legislature, noting the judiciary has no data proving judges know the statutes they apply. Amaker defended the judiciary's training efforts, noting that implicit bias and sexual harassment training are mandatory, but resisted broader mandates, arguing judges exercise discretion in applying law to individual cases. Assemblyman Burgos questioned the judiciary's reliance on 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 alone. He asked how much is levied annually, collected, and what it costs to collect. Amaker stated $500 million in fees are collected across all courts but acknowledged she could not immediately break down the mandatory surcharge figure specifically. Sen. Hoylman-Sigal pressed Amaker on the Housing Court right to counsel crisis, noting constituents are being evicted without attorneys despite a New York City law guaranteeing representation. He asked for a timeline from the Housing Court Working Group, which Amaker said was working on caseload determinations but could not provide a specific date. The hearing also addressed court modernization, with Assemblyman Bores noting that criminal courts remain largely paper-based while Family and Supreme Courts have accelerated electronic filing. Amaker said the judiciary plans to migrate all courts to the "New York Bench" electronic system but cited programmer retention as the primary obstacle. Sen. Rolison raised concerns about shortages of secured beds for juveniles in Family Court, particularly outside New York City, a problem exacerbated by Raise the Age implementation. He requested data on instances where judges cannot find appropriate placements. The Governor has proposed a $121 million increase to the courts. The hearing revealed tensions between the judiciary's stated commitment to access to justice and legislative concerns that budget proposals do not match stated priorities. NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE — A joint legislative hearing on the 2023-2024 Executive Budget for public protection revealed significant disparities in judicial system funding and raised concerns about ethics enforcement gaps, with testimony highlighting a potential vulnerability to major litigation over inadequate Family Court representation. The Commission on Judicial Conduct reported record disciplinary activity in 2022, with 25 public disciplinary actions and 15 judges removed or resigned—the highest number since 2009—from a caseload of over 2,400 complaints. However, Administrator Robert Tembeckjian warned that New York's confidentiality rules for judicial disciplinary proceedings are an outlier, with 38 other states making charges public at the point of formal filing. More troubling, he noted that judges can evade discipline by resigning, with Commission jurisdiction ending immediately upon retirement or limited to 120 days after resignation. "In the executive and legislative branches, you can't avoid discipline by leaving office early, but in the judiciary you can," Tembeckjian told the committee, which includes Judiciary Chair Brad Hoylman-Sigal. The Office of Indigent Legal Services presented stark data showing the consequences of unequal investment. While criminal defense has benefited from Hurrell-Harring settlement funding—resulting in 624 new attorneys, decreased caseloads, and increased spending per case since 2018—Family Court representation remains severely underfunded. Director Patricia Warth testified that weighted caseloads for Family Court attorneys are significantly higher than for criminal defense, while average spending per case is less than half. "From a Family Court lens, the story is a story of failure," Warth said. "Without a significant state investment, attorneys are working under crushing caseloads without access to resources. And what this means for families is there's a higher likelihood that their children will be taken away from them and put in foster care." Warth requested $28 million for Family Court representation in the final budget, compared to the Executive's $4.5 million proposal. She also outlined four necessary components for 18-B assigned counsel rate increases: state funding (the Governor's proposal does not provide it), elimination of case caps that discourage quality representation, elimination of geographic rate distinctions ($158/hour downstate, $119/hour upstate), and a mechanism for periodic increases. The 18-B rates have not increased since 2004. Sen. Hoylman-Sigal pressed Tembeckjian on whether the state faces another Hurrell-Harring-style lawsuit over Family Court representation. Warth confirmed the risk: "All the ingredients are there," noting that a 2019 commission found the county-based Family Court defense system was not delivering constitutionally required representation. The hearing was held Feb. 7 before the Senate Finance Committee and Assembly Ways and Means Committee. NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE — A joint legislative committee hearing on the 2023-2024 Executive Budget's public protection components revealed significant concerns about judicial conduct, assigned counsel funding, and cybersecurity infrastructure, with lawmakers pressing agency officials on implementation of recent criminal justice reforms and the adequacy of state funding for public defense. Sen. Zellnor Myrie raised pointed questions about deed theft affecting Black and brown New Yorkers, criticizing the Commission on Judicial Conduct's limited authority to address what he called "the scourge of deed theft." Administrator Tembeckjian acknowledged the Commission cannot reverse judicial decisions but can discipline judges for ethical violations or incompetence. Myrie noted that both the Office of Court Administration and the Kings County public administrator declined to testify at a prior hearing on the issue. Director Warth of Indigent Legal Services advocated for eliminating or significantly raising the cap on 18-B assigned counsel fees, estimating the cost of rate increases at $150-180 million annually based on 2019 case numbers. She presented data showing significant reductions in pretrial detention post-bail reform in Hurrell-Harring counties, particularly for low-level nonviolent offenses. However, she cautioned that new case assignments statewide had not yet returned to pre-pandemic 2018-2019 levels as of 2022. Sen. Bailey, breaking a six-year streak of not questioning Tembeckjian, strongly supported Warth's work, emphasizing that assigned counsel rate increases affect real families and impact recidivism and family violence. He urged the Legislature to maintain bail reform efforts. Commissioner Jackie Bray of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services outlined a $9 billion agency budget, including $63 million in new appropriations for volunteer fire service support and cybersecurity. She noted that 76 percent of New York's 1,600+ volunteer fire departments reported declining volunteer recruitment in recent years. The budget proposes $10 million for a volunteer firefighter training stipend and $20 million for 911 operations and Next Gen 911 transition. Deputy CIO Jennifer Lorenz reported that the Office of Information Technology Services has deployed language translation services to 84 public-facing websites and established the Joint Security Operations Center (JSOC) as a 24/7 cybersecurity hub. The budget includes $33 million in new funding for cybersecurity, digitization, and a "One ID" fraud prevention system. Chair Krueger asked both judicial and ILS officials whether mandatory judicial training would help address systemic problems, with both expressing support for the concept. The hearing, held February 7, 2023, reflected ongoing legislative scrutiny of criminal justice reform implementation and public protection funding priorities. NEW YORK STATE BUDGET HEARING FOCUSES ON CYBERSECURITY THREATS AND BLIZZARD RESPONSE State officials testified before the Joint Legislative Committee on Finance on Tuesday that New York is ramping up cybersecurity defenses for local governments while conducting a comprehensive review of its response to the December blizzard that killed 47 people. The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and the Office of Information Technology Services outlined a $30 million initiative to provide endpoint protection and threat detection services to counties and municipalities. Commissioner Bray reported that 43 counties and five major cities have already signed up for the program, which is expected to add 64,000 protected endpoints within months. The push comes as cyberattacks on local governments accelerate. DHSES responded to 54 cyberattacks on localities, school boards, and critical infrastructure this year—a rate Commissioner Bray characterized as "definitely accelerating." The testimony highlighted the Suffolk County ransomware attack last year, which shut down county government and resulted in the theft of nearly 4 terabytes of data. Senators pressed officials on implementation details. Sen. Gonzalez asked pointed questions about the percentage of state agencies using multifactor authentication and vulnerabilities posed by third-party contractors. Sen. Ashby questioned whether a $10 million volunteer firefighter training stipend program was adequately funded, calculating it would amount to roughly $6,000 per department. On the blizzard response, Commissioner Bray defended the state's preparation while acknowledging the need for improvements. He characterized the December storm as "the longest blizzard in continental United States history below 5,000 feet of elevation" and noted that state personnel made 650 saves during the response. However, he acknowledged that first responders were "frozen in place" for extended periods, unable to deploy due to extreme conditions. Sen. Scarcella-Spanton, the new chair of the Homeland Security Committee, asked whether sufficient funding exists for emergency preparedness. Commissioner Bray said yes, noting that the administration takes emergency response "incredibly seriously" as climate change increases storm intensity. The hearing also addressed counterterrorism efforts. Commissioner Bray reported that Governor Hochul's $10 million recurring appropriation for counterterrorism is being used to establish threat assessment and management teams focused on preventing targeted violence, particularly addressing the surge in antisemitic hate crimes. Assemblyman Dinowitz noted that while Jewish people comprise 2-3 percent of the population, they are targets of nearly two-thirds of religious-based hate crimes. The federal State and Local Cybersecurity Grant program will provide no more than $20 million over five years for New York, which Commissioner Bray called "nowhere near sufficient." Assemblyman Otis, a former mayor, pressed for state funding to help smaller municipalities, which he said lack the resources and expertise of larger jurisdictions. NEW YORK STATE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE EXAMINES 2023-2024 PUBLIC PROTECTION BUDGET AMID VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER CRISIS AND CYBERSECURITY CONCERNS State officials testified before the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday regarding the 2023-2024 executive budget for public protection, with lawmakers pressing for greater investment in volunteer firefighting and cybersecurity infrastructure as the state grapples with a documented crisis in emergency services. Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Bray acknowledged that mutual aid requests in the fire service have surged 160 percent over the past decade, indicating that local departments increasingly cannot handle emergencies independently. The budget allocates $10 million toward volunteer firefighter recruiting and adds 22 positions focused on the volunteer fire service, including 18 Fire Protection Specialists to expand training capacity. Firefighters will receive stipends of $750 for basic training and $1,250 for interior firefighting, with the state offering flexible training schedules to accommodate those unable to take extended time off work. Several senators raised concerns about the adequacy of these measures. Sen. Ashby questioned whether $10 million was sufficient given that 76 percent of respondents indicated a real crisis in the sector. Commissioner Bray confirmed the state is implementing emotional resilience workshops for first responders and has hired a new deputy state fire administrator with expertise in peer-to-peer support networks for firefighters. Cybersecurity emerged as a second major focus, with senators questioning preparedness following the Suffolk County ransomware attack that crippled county operations. Sen. Murray pressed the Commissioner on whether cybersecurity protections were available to the county prior to the attack, suggesting cost may have been a factor in the county's failure to upgrade systems. Commissioner Bray acknowledged that had the state's cybersecurity purchasing power initiative been available earlier, "we would have seen a very different scenario in Suffolk County." The state is currently writing an after-action report on the attack. The budget includes $20 million for Next Gen 911 system upgrades, transitioning from copper wire to fiber infrastructure. Commissioner Bray noted that current 911 GPS systems are less advanced than food delivery apps, and that the transition will take three to five years statewide. Sen. Bailey advocated for need-based allocation of these funds, citing challenges in Mount Vernon's 911 system. Sen. Stec raised critical concerns about cell service gaps in the Adirondacks, noting that approximately half of 911 calls originate from cellphones in rural areas. He corrected the Commissioner's assertion that local government was blocking cell service expansion, stating the issue is economic and urging state funding mechanisms similar to broadband initiatives. OITS Deputy CIO Lorenz reported that the state has blocked TikTok on the majority of state devices since 2020, with access only in exceptional circumstances after security review. He also noted the state has conducted over 50 job fairs this year to fill 15 unfilled IT positions and is pursuing SUNY/CUNY partnerships to recruit talent. The hearing revealed broad bipartisan concern about emergency services capacity and state cybersecurity posture, with lawmakers signaling they expect more aggressive investment in both areas. NEW YORK STATE BUDGET HEARING FOCUSES ON PUBLIC PROTECTION SPENDING, CRIME REDUCTION Albany — State officials testified Tuesday before the Joint Legislative Finance Committee on Governor Kathy Hochul's 2023-2024 budget proposals for public protection agencies, with testimony highlighting significant investments in crime reduction, cybersecurity, and law enforcement staffing while revealing persistent challenges in technology modernization and prison violence. The Division of Criminal Justice Services reported encouraging progress on gun violence reduction, with shootings dropping 17 percent in New York City and 15 percent in targeted jurisdictions in 2022—representing 453 fewer shootings than the prior year. Commissioner Rossana Rosado outlined proposed budget increases totaling hundreds of millions of dollars for evidence-based programs including the SNUG street outreach initiative, the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) program, 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 New York State Police reported seizing 2,026 illegal guns between August 2021 and December 2022—a 138 percent increase—and Acting Superintendent Steven Nigrelli emphasized the agency's recovery from pandemic-era staffing lows. The State Police conducted their first-ever computer-based exam in 2022, administered globally including at U.S. military installations, significantly expanding recruitment outreach. However, the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision reported alarming violence trends, with assaults on staff reaching 1,469 in 2022—a 25 percent increase from 2021—and incarcerated-on-incarcerated assaults hitting 1,486, a 34 percent increase. Acting Commissioner Anthony Annucci said both categories reached record highs. The department has implemented a Prison Violence Task Force and expanded substance abuse treatment, with 1,730 incarcerated individuals receiving medication-assisted treatment as of early February. Cybersecurity emerged as a major focus, with DHSES Commissioner Bray discussing the new Joint Security Operations Center with the Office of Information Technology Services to share real-time threat intelligence. However, Chairwoman Liz Krueger expressed frustration with decades-long delays in state technology modernization, noting that the WMS welfare system—implemented in the late 1980s—still operates and won't be fully replaced until 2026. She criticized the state's inability to modernize basic agency systems, saying "countries have seen governments rise and fall faster than New York State's been able to figure out how to computerize its state agencies." Senators pressed officials on grid cybersecurity preparedness, 911 system upgrades estimated to cost well over $100 million, and the decline of 20,000 volunteer firefighters over the past decade. The hearing underscored the administration's emphasis on front-end crime prevention while revealing infrastructure challenges that have persisted across multiple gubernatorial administrations. NEW YORK STATE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE — State officials testified before the Legislature on Tuesday regarding the 2023-2024 Executive Budget for public protection agencies, with significant debate emerging over the Governor's proposed bail reform changes and their evidentiary basis. Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rosado faced pointed questioning from Sen. Jamaal Bailey and Assemblyman Dinowitz over data supporting the administration's proposal to remove the "least-restrictive-means" standard in bail determinations. Both lawmakers noted that current data shows failure-to-appear and rearrest rates are "basically flat" between qualifying and non-qualifying offenses, raising questions about whether the proposed changes will reduce crime. "The evidence that's necessarily the empirical data doesn't necessarily match with the specific requested changes at present time," Sen. Bailey stated, while Assemblyman Dinowitz suggested judicial training might be a better first step than legislative changes. Sen. Patrick Gallivan pressed the point further, arguing that any level of crime or failure to appear is unacceptable and that the state should aim for zero, noting that 49 other states allow judges to consider dangerousness in bail decisions. Commissioner Rosado countered that "bail has never been a crime-prevention tool" and that the state should pursue other innovative approaches. On gun violence prevention, Commissioner Rosado reported that the SNUG program's $21 million funding level—unchanged from last year—has yielded results: SNUG site shootings are down 32 percent and GIVE site shootings are down 15 percent. Sen. Bailey questioned whether the funding is sufficient given rising gun violence. The Commissioner also detailed how the $40 million discovery reform appropriation is being distributed to counties based on arraignment volume, with $29 million distributed so far. She confirmed the funding is available to public defenders' offices as well as district attorneys. Acting Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Commissioner Annucci testified on multiple initiatives, including a proposed reduction in the minimum age for corrections officers from 21 to 19—a recruiting measure aimed at addressing serious staffing shortages. The agency currently has 867 corrections officer vacancies, with projections of 1,150 by year-end. Assemblyman Dilan questioned whether 19-year-olds can safely handle the job, but Annucci compared the role to military service and cited rigorous screening and training procedures. Annucci also discussed plans to acquire 80 body scanners at an estimated cost of $13 million to replace intrusive strip-frisk procedures. On education, Annucci reported that 1,600 incarcerated individuals are enrolled in college degree-granting programs across 36 correctional facilities, with plans to expand partnerships with SUNY. Sen. Hoylman-Sigal pressed Acting Commissioner Annucci on HALT compliance, noting that 52 percent of special housing unit inmates exceeded the 15-day limit as of October 1st, declining to 42 percent by December 1st. Annucci said the agency is "very, very close" to full compliance. Acting State Police Superintendent Nigrelli testified on forensic lab expansion, concealed carry law implementation, and Park Police operations. He reported no arrests or complaints regarding concealed carry law enforcement and supported the Governor's proposed technical amendments to clarify the law's intent, particularly regarding historic reenactments and antique firearm displays. Nigrelli also discussed a $100 million forensic lab satellite facility planned for Albany, noting that the current 1994-era facility is overcrowded, with scientists using storage closets as offices. He reported 39 Park Police candidates currently in academy and noted that 77 million visitors use the state parks system annually. NEW YORK STATE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE — Acting Commissioner of Corrections Annucci faced pointed questioning on prison violence and the HALT Act during a joint legislative budget hearing Tuesday, with lawmakers expressing concern that the agency's rehabilitation policies may be creating perverse incentives that undermine safety. Sen. Jim Stec, whose district includes seven correctional facilities, challenged Annucci over unlimited tablet and phone access in Restrictive Housing Units (RRUs), arguing that such privileges exceed those available to inmates in the general population or Honor Block. "What is the embedded incentive to successful and permanently address behavioral issues if the privileges one receives on RRU exceed what would be provided in the general population?" Stec asked, citing a joint letter he sent with Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner following a visit to Great Meadow Correctional Facility. Annucci defended the policy as a mitigation strategy, noting that incarcerated individuals in RRU and SHU spent 54 million minutes on phone calls in 2022, helping alleviate isolation while the agency transitions away from traditional solitary confinement under the HALT Act. He acknowledged that violence remains a critical concern, with assaults on staff up 25 percent and inmate-on-inmate assaults up 34 percent in 2022. Sen. Zellnor Myrie pressed Annucci on whether the Prison Violence Task Force has identified specific root causes, expressing frustration that the commissioner offered only programmatic responses rather than concrete findings. Myrie also questioned why risk assessment algorithms used to identify high-risk parolees could not be applied to parole board eligibility determinations. Assemblyman Giglio focused on staffing shortages, learning that the system operates with "thousands and thousands of vacancies" despite a current population of 31,000-plus. He questioned the impact of mandatory overtime on corrections officers, learning that while daily overtime is capped at 16 hours, there is no limit on consecutive days or weeks of mandatory overtime. DCJS Commissioner Rosado reported that 4,000 Extreme Risk Protection Orders have been filed since the Buffalo shooting, and that the Governor's budget doubles funding for alternatives to incarceration from $15.7 million to $31.4 million. However, Sen. Murray challenged the accuracy of DCJS data on failure to appear rates, noting that desk appearance tickets—which account for most misdemeanors—are not included in the statistics. Assemblyman Tannousis expressed frustration that two years after New York legalized recreational marijuana, no roadside impairment testing mechanism has been deployed. Superintendent Nigrelli acknowledged that oral fluids testing for THC is still undergoing scientific validation and is not ready for field use. The hearing revealed significant tensions between legislative oversight and agency implementation of criminal justice reforms, with lawmakers questioning whether current policies adequately balance rehabilitation with institutional safety. NEW YORK STATE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE — Acting Corrections Commissioner Annucci faced intense scrutiny during a joint legislative budget hearing on Tuesday over the state's failure to fully comply with the HALT Act nearly a year after its implementation, as prison violence continues to surge with assaults on staff up 25 percent and incarcerated-on-incarcerated assaults up 34 percent. Chairwoman Liz Krueger pressed Annucci on how the state spent $50 million allocated for HALT implementation, questioning why the prison population was cut in half since 2010 but agency budgets remained essentially flat. Executive Deputy Commissioner Martuscello testified that $48 million of previously allocated funds went to personal services and staff augmentation, while a separate $69 million for capital projects was exceeded, with over $110 million ultimately spent. Sen. Jamaal Bailey raised concerns about HALT compliance, noting that Chair Salazar had visited facilities and found no evidence of DOCCS' ability to comply with the law. Martuscello acknowledged that only 21 individuals remained beyond the 15-day segregation limit as of the hearing, down from over 200 at one point, but attributed the ongoing challenges to unprecedented violence in the system. Assemblyman Palmesano called HALT "an absolute disaster" and suggested Governor Hochul declare a state of emergency to suspend the law, citing a 25 percent increase in staff assaults and 34 percent increase in incarcerated assaults since April 2022. He questioned whether special populations—inmates under 19 and over 55—who are exempt from solitary confinement are driving disproportionate violence. On reentry, Annucci highlighted the Edgecombe Transitional Housing program with 70 beds and noted that the average parolee spends 37 days in the NYC shelter system. However, Chairwoman Krueger raised alarm about a troubling pipeline: 23 percent of released individuals went to shelters in 2014, rising to 50 percent by 2017, straining the already-overwhelmed NYC shelter system and increasing recidivism risk. Annucci also reported 113 deaths in DOCCS custody in 2022—55 from natural causes, 17 suicides, 2 homicides, and 38 awaiting autopsy results—representing an 18 percent decrease from 2001. He noted that 1,600 incarcerated individuals are enrolled in school programs and that the agency is 2,900 corrections officers short of budgeted levels. DCJS Commissioner Rosado testified that the GIVE program supports 20 police departments in 17 counties, representing approximately 80 percent of violent crime outside New York City, and confirmed that additional funding would expand the program to new jurisdictions. The hearing underscored deep tensions between public safety concerns and criminal justice reform, with lawmakers divided over whether HALT should be modified or repealed to address prison violence. NEW YORK STATE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE HEARS TESTIMONY ON 2023-2024 PUBLIC PROTECTION BUDGET Albany — The New York State Senate Finance Committee held a joint hearing Tuesday on the Governor's 2023-2024 Executive Budget focused on public protection, hearing testimony from state corrections officials, criminal justice advocates, and law enforcement representatives on bail reform, prison conditions, substance abuse treatment, and volunteer firefighting. State corrections officials reported significant progress in reducing contraband in prisons through a new vendor package program. Executive Deputy Commissioner Martuscello testified that contraband instances dropped dramatically from 924 in 2020 to just 30 since the new program's implementation, while Narcan usage declined 13 percent from 415 instances in 2021 to 360 in 2022. The department also reported a 64 percent increase in visitor arrests, which officials attributed to the new package system and increased canine use. However, corrections officials acknowledged rising violence within facilities. Martuscello reported that five-person-or-more fights increased from 70 incidents in 2021 to 110 in 2022, though he attributed this partly to demographic shifts: 74 percent of the current prison population are violent felony offenders by instant offense, rising to 84 percent when including secondary and past crimes. Criminal justice advocates pressed for legislative action on multiple reform measures. Katie Schaffer of the Center for Community Alternatives opposed the Governor's proposal to eliminate the least restrictive standard in bail decisions, calling it "legally unworkable" and noting that 33 other states use such a standard while none have eliminated it entirely. She advocated for the Clean Slate Act, citing Michigan research showing sealed records increase employment by 11 percent and earnings by 25 percent, with potential economic benefits to New York State of $7 billion. Jose Saldana of the Release Aging People in Prison Campaign urged passage of Elder Parole and Fair & Timely Parole bills, arguing that elder incarcerated people pose zero public safety risk and that their release could save $500 million annually. He noted that the recidivism rate for people released at age 66 is zero percent. Chaplain Dr. Victoria Phillips testified in support of the Treatment Not Jail Act (S1976/A1263), emphasizing that one out of four incarcerated people have diagnosed mental health and substance abuse disorders and that jails are inappropriate settings for mental health crises. Ed Tase, president of the Firefighters Association of the State of New York, testified on a volunteer firefighter recruitment crisis, noting the state has lost 20,000 volunteer firefighters over 20 years and that 80 percent of fire protection services outside New York City depend on volunteers. He expressed support for the Governor's budget proposals including paid-per-call compensation and stipend funds for basic training. Acting Commissioner Annucci reported that 70-something percent or higher of incarcerated individuals need substance abuse treatment and confirmed the Executive Budget includes funding for the opioid/fentanyl crisis. State Police Superintendent Nigrelli confirmed the agency tracks accidents and fatalities caused by marijuana use but declined to comment on proposed drug-impaired driving legislation. Law enforcement unions and prosecutors testified before the New York State Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday regarding critical staffing and operational challenges in the 2023-2024 Executive Budget for public protection agencies. The New York State Park Police Sergeants Benevolent Association reported a 40% reduction in officers since 2003, with current staffing at just 178 officers protecting 287 state parks across the state. Director Frank McGarity attributed the exodus to an outdated 25-year retirement plan while competing agencies offer 20-year benefits. He noted the loss of 11 women officers since 2019, undermining the state's 30x30 diversity initiative. The Legislature has passed a 20-year retirement bill with near-unanimous bipartisan support, but it has been repeatedly vetoed, with the governor citing the need to include it in the budget. Correctional facilities face a violence crisis, according to Michael Powers, president of NYSCOPBA representing 30,000 corrections officers. Powers testified that 2022 was the most violent year in state prison history, with single-year records set in both inmate-on-staff and inmate-on-inmate assaults. He attributed the spike to the HALT Act, which took effect April 1, 2021, and cited specific incidents including a sexual assault on a female officer at Attica Correctional Facility. Powers stated that inmates convicted of murder must receive out-of-cell time in congregate settings just 15 days after their crime, creating safety risks for both staff and other inmates. Volunteer firefighters face recruitment and retention crises driven by lack of tangible incentives and capital funding for firehouses. President Tase of the Firefighters Association of New York State noted that volunteer firefighters now perform EMS, traffic control, and auto extrications in addition to firefighting, yet the state income tax credit for volunteers remains at $200—unchanged for over 20 years. A 2015 FASNY study valued the volunteer fire service at $3.3 billion in prevented tax increases. District Attorneys reported they are struggling to implement discovery reforms while operating with severe staffing shortages. Mary Pat Donnelly, testifying for the District Attorneys Association, noted that her office is funded for 15 Assistant District Attorneys but currently has only 10, having lost five attorneys in 2022 to higher-paying positions. She emphasized that discovery implementation requires significant funding for staff, training, and technology, as cases now require review of extensive body camera footage—up to 20+ hours for complex cases—before disclosure. Several senators signaled support for the law enforcement priorities. Sen. Hinchey explicitly backed the 20-year retirement bill for Park Police and asked about capital funding mechanisms for volunteer firehouses. Sen. O'Mara and Assemblyman Palmesano expressed strong opposition to the HALT Act, with Palmesano calling it "a disaster" and questioning whether correction officers were consulted during its implementation. NEW YORK — Advocates and criminal justice officials clashed over funding priorities and implementation failures during a lengthy joint legislative hearing on the 2023-2024 Executive Budget's public protection provisions Tuesday, with immigration attorneys, public defenders, and prison reform advocates pressing lawmakers for billions in additional resources while district attorneys defended their own funding requests. The hearing, which stretched into the evening, revealed stark disparities in state support for prosecution versus defense. Lisa Schreibersdorf, executive director of Brooklyn Defender Services, pointed out that district attorneys received nearly $100 million in the budget while public defenders received only $7.5 million, despite having equivalent obligations under discovery rules. She called for $28 million in Family Court funding and parity with prosecution resources, noting that 60 percent of upstate prison inmates—31,000 people—have mental health issues that good defense attorneys could help divert from incarceration. Immigration advocates made an urgent case for $100 million in legal services funding, with Shayna Kessler of the Vera Institute of Justice and Kayla Kelechian of the New York Immigration Coalition citing a record backlog of nearly 190,000 cases and an estimated 40,000 newly arrived asylum seekers in New York City. Kelechian described a three-year-old indigenous Guatemalan child forced to defend herself alone in Buffalo immigration court, underscoring the stakes of inadequate representation. A 2018 study showed that having an attorney increased chances of winning asylum cases by 1,100 percent. Governor Hochul's proposal to gut bail reform drew fierce opposition. Yonah Zeitz of the Katal Center for Equity, Health and Justice cited 19 deaths on Rikers Island in the past year—the highest death rate in 25 years—and noted that a 65-year-old died on Rikers just that weekend while held on unaffordable cash bail. He argued bail reform is working, with people returning to court at high rates and no impact on violent crime. Katherine Haas of the Legal Aid Society's Prisoners' Rights Project testified that the Department of Corrections has failed to implement the 2021 HALT law, which was designed to curtail solitary confinement. She documented continued use of long-term segregated confinement, with lights on all night, frigid temperatures, and filthy cells—conditions she called torture. Sen. Jamaal Bailey pressed DA Donnelly on why district attorneys had applied for discovery funds, learning that county government involvement created obstacles. He advocated for direct state-to-DA funding to bypass county-level delays. Sen. Tom O'Mara, a former district attorney, expressed concern about aggressive discovery timelines and asked about staggered procedures that would prioritize imperative material first. The League of Women Voters also testified, requesting $20 million for county election boards and full funding of $114.5 million for the Public Campaign Finance Board, noting a $75 million shortfall in matching funds. A district attorney official testified before the New York State Senate Finance Committee on February 7, 2023, that technological barriers are hampering information-sharing between police and DA offices under the state's 2023-2024 public protection budget. Ms. Schreibersdorf, testifying on the executive budget proposal, identified Microsoft OneDrive—the platform currently used by district attorneys to store case files—as a significant operational bottleneck. She explained that police departments cannot directly access or transfer files from DA OneDrive accounts. Instead, files must be manually downloaded from the DA system and re-uploaded to police systems, a process she said consumes substantial time, energy, and storage capacity. "OneDrive is a particularly bad program for sorting, finding, filing and using," Schreibersdorf told the committee, noting that the platform lacks basic functionality such as the ability to edit documents online. She advocated for the state to identify and implement better technological solutions to streamline inter-agency document sharing. Sen. Bailey pressed Schreibersdorf on whether statutory reforms to New York's discovery law or bail statutes were necessary to improve police-DA coordination. Schreibersdorf stated that no such legislative changes are needed, suggesting the problems are primarily technical rather than legal. The hearing, held as part of the joint legislative budget review process, concluded at 7:38 p.m. Chairwoman Krueger announced that the committee would reconvene the following morning at 9:30 a.m. to examine the education budget.