Governor Pataki to Sign Rockefeller Reform Bill Today at 2 PM

Today in New York, Governor Pataki will sign a bill to change New York State’s notorious Rockefeller drug laws after years of inaction. Michael Blain, Director of Public Policy at the Drug Policy Alliance, released this statement on the deal.

“For the last 31 years, these laws have incarcerated over a hundred thousand people, the vast majority of whom are people of color. We are pleased with the progress that has been made, but we recognize that this is only the beginning of ending the unjust Rockefeller drug laws.

Our campaign must ultimately result in Real Reform. We have been working tirelessly on this issue, and will keep coming back until we have achieved full judicial discretion, more sentence reduction, retroactivity, and treatment. We will increase our efforts on all fronts until the Rockefeller drug laws are just a bad memory.”