New York tweaks bail reform to make it easier to detain people for repeat theft

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Governor Kathy Hochul and lawmakers usedthe state’s $220 billion budget to make it easier for judges to incarcerate certain people awaiting trial.

The Democratic-led Senate and Assembly began taking votes Thursday and Friday on parts of the spending plan, which contains a cornucopia of policy initiatives, including pay bumps for health care and home care workers, and suspending the state’s gas tax through December because of high fuel prices.

Lawmakers were expected to continue debating and voting on budget bills late Friday and likely into Saturday. Hochul, a Democrat, is expected to sign the bills.

Some left-leaning Democratic lawmakers voted against parts of the spending plan, and chastised Hochul for pushing a big subsidy for the Buffalo Bills’ billionaire owners and trying to roll back bail reform: “We cannot legislate based on reactionary scare tactics,” State Sen. Julia Salazar said.