BUFFALO, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday held a news conference to talk about gun violence prevention.
Hochul says much of the focus is on stopping illegal guns from entering New York from other states.
State Republicans have made the claim that New York's bail reform laws are to blame for the rise in violent crime. Democrats say that's being used as an excuse for what is a national spike in crime since the COVID pandemic began.
The governor on Wednesday outlined why bail reform was needed in the first place, while acknowledging that changes could be made in the future.
"One person goes to Rikers for three years because they couldn't post bail," she said. "Another person whose parents have money or they're living in the suburbs, and they can head back after posting bail to their jobs, to school, and a different life. That is what bail reform set out to do.
"And so I stand behind that fundamental premise. If reforms are needed based on data that is still being gathered, I'm willing to have those conversations."
Hochul also said she will not cave to political pressure, and that she would only entertain changes to bail reform if the data backs that up.
A group of police chiefs and district attorneys were at the New York state capitol in December, lobbying lawmakers to change some laws they say are making their jobs harder, including bail reform.
That law prohibited judges from giving cash bail for most non-violent charges, but the group says it's letting repeat offenders continue committing crimes and that judges should have more freedom to decide.