Congresswoman Elise Stefanik led the House in passing a bill that would end cashless bail in Washington, D.C., and now she’s turning her focus to New York and the rest of the country.
Stefanik called the D.C. bill a key first step in her effort to repeal bail reforms she blames for a rise in violent crime across New York. Next month, the House Judiciary Committee will take up her broader legislation targeting cashless bail nationwide.
“Kathy Hochul’s failed bail reform has literally caused murders, assaults, rapes, and heinous crimes to be committed against law abiding New Yorkers,” Stefanik said in a press release. She accused New York’s governor of siding with criminals and criticized her decision to close more state prisons.
The legislation passed this week — formally called the Ending Cashless Bail in Our Nation’s Capital Act — targets D.C. because Congress has jurisdiction there. Stefanik said she’s using it as a blueprint for pushing similar laws elsewhere.
She introduced the D.C. bill back in September.
“Today I proudly voted to end cashless bail in D.C.,” Stefanik said. “Kathy Hochul is incapable of making New York safe, so I will come over the top of her and pass this in Congress.”
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].