Over several hours of questioning from state lawmakers, Mayor Eric Adams was often challenged on his views on how make changes to criminal justice reforms enacted by the legislature.

Adams: “I don’t think you should debate me. I think you should debate the 11-month-old baby’s mother. You should debate the two police officers that we lost. You should debate - “

Assemblywoman Latrice Walker of Brooklyn: “No. You who are making this a political issue. You don’t have to tell me to debate a person who lost an 11-month-old child because I lost a brother at the age of 19 to gun violence.”

What You Need To Know

  • Mayor Adams testified virtually before members of the state Senate and Assembly as part of a joint legislative budget hearing 

  • Adams was challenged repeatedly about changes he is seeking to the bail reform law and other criminal justice measures recently enacted by legislators 

  • Lawmakers do not want to make any changes, and Adams has done little to engage with them prior to Wednesday’s hearing 

Adams has asked for changes to bail reform laws and other criminal justice measures, saying they will bring down crime rates in the city and reduce gun violence. At times, lawmakers told him to change his approach.

“Please, Sir, be very cautious, because the process we will go through for the next couple of weeks and months has to be ultimately about public safety," said state Sen. Gustavo Rivera of the Bronx. "Communities are safer when they have more resources, not when they are overpoliced.”

The issue has been a sensitive one, since Adams is demanding changes to criminal justice laws that Albany Democrats fought for for years before they could successfully change them.

Some lawmakers claim the mayor has been making his demands by press conference, rather than engaging with them directly.

Adams has yet to visit Albany as mayor, although he pledged on Wednesday that he would visit as soon as next week.

Adams said he agrees with the legislators on the big picture, but wants some tweaks to the bail law.

“Let’s remove the cash bail system," he said. "Because one should not be able to get out of jail just because you can pay bail. Let’s take that away. Judges should look at the case in front of them and say, 'This person has two gun arrests, and he’s continually saying to the people of the city that I don’t care about the safety of you.' That judge should have the right to make the discretion that this person just be held.”

 

 

While public safety dominated the hearing, the mayor also asked for a four-year extension of mayoral control of city schools, something Gov. Kathy Hochul is willing to give him.

“And I need four years, and I really need your help to give me an opportunity to finally turn around the school system that has failed children,” Adams said.

“As for any budget related items, the mayor asked for money for mental health services and child care. He also asked for the state to raise the city’s borrowing limit to pay for existing programs.