Late last night, after more than five hours of heated debate, the NY State Senate voted to reform the Rockefeller Drug Laws. The State Assembly has already passed the reform package, and Governor Paterson is expected to sign the finalized state budget shortly, which will make Rockefeller reform a reality.
Check out this video of Senator Eric Schneiderman, the sponsor of the reform legislation, defending his vote on the Senate floor.
State Senator Eric Schneiderman on Rockefeller Drug Law Reform from Michael Meade on Vimeo.
Now, thousands of future felony drug offenders will have the right to individualized justice in the court room, and judges will be able to sentence people to treatment and other alternatives to incarceration. The State will allocate additional funding to these programs. In some limited cases, people who are currently incarcerated under the Rockefeller Drug Laws will be able to apply for resentencing and release.
While this is not the end of the Rockefeller Drug Laws, if we have anything to do with it, it will be the beginning of the end. Drop the Rock will continue to organize and advocate for the full repeal of the laws.
This is a great moment for justice in New York State, and a validation of our organizing efforts. We should all feel very proud of this accomplishment.
