Malliotakis Introduces Legislation To Hold New York Accountable for Lax Bail Law, Require Dangerousness Be Considered

(WASHINGTON, DC) - Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) has introduced H.R. 8647, the Protecting All Communities Equally (PACE) Act of 2022, legislation that would hold states with lax bail laws accountable and require that bail laws provide judges with discretion to set bail if the accused is considered a danger to society. 

New York State is theonly state in the nation that does not allow judges to use discretion. It would also hold the state responsible for any personal injury or property damage caused by criminals who go on to commit other crimes after being released without bail. 

"My colleagues and I have been pushing the Governor and State Legislature to reverse the botched bail law, and even after violent crime has skyrocketed to record levels, they refuse to do so," said Malliotakis, who was a state legislator and voted against the bail law in 2019. "These soft-on-crime policies have created a dangerous revolving-door criminal justice system that has only emboldened criminals and put residents, visitors, businesses, and law enforcement directly in harm's way. If the city and the state won't reverse their backward policies, I'm going to do what I can at the federal level to hold them accountable, keep dangerous criminals behind bars, and support the men and women who are on the front lines keeping us safe." 

According toNYPD data, recidivism rates in New York City have tripled since 2017, (before New York's bail law took effect), with roughly one in every five criminals arrested for burglary or theft rearrested on a felony charge within 60 days after being released. Even more alarming, new reports have detailed that a small group of 10 career criminals has racked up nearly 500 arrests since the bail law took effect in 2020, with perps having been arrested over 30 times in one year. 

Malliotakis added: "The state's top priority should be protecting the safety of its citizens. People are violently assaulted every day in our city, most often by perps with lengthy criminal rap sheets. The fact that Governor Hochul won't change the law or fire woke prosecutors is a blatant dereliction of duty - she should be held most responsible for refusing to act." 

To learn more about Malliotakis' Protecting All Communities Equally Act of 2022, click HERE. 

Malliotakis is a member of House Republicans’ American Security Task Force. After hosting multiple roundtables with law enforcement, the task force unveiled recommendations to make America’s cities safer last week.