ALBANY – Changes to New York’s criminal evidence discovery rules go into effect this week, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday — while signaling she’s “willing to look at” controversial “Raise the Age” reforms next.
The Democrat may not look to pick a fight on Raise the Age — which upped the age of adult criminal responsibility from 16 to 18 — as she’s up for re-election in 2026 and following a bruising battle with lawmakers on changes to laws that govern evidence-sharing requirements in criminal cases.
Hochul said the tweaks, which go into effect Thursday, are meant to stop cases from being dismissed on technicalities because of reforms that then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state legislature pushed through in 2019.
“That whole case they built to show society that there will be justice for victims is turned upside down on its head, and there was no justice for victims. So, my goal is to stop this,” Hochul said.
The five New York City district attorneys, Alvin Bragg, Darcel Clark, Eric Gonzalez, Melinda Katz and Vince McMahon, allied with Hochul in pushing for the changes.
Law enforcement officials and some Democratic politicians are now calling for changes to Raise the Age.
“If there’s conversations about Raise the Age, the legislative session is the time to do that, and I would certainly entertain conversations on every topic related to criminal justice,” Hochul said.
Raise the Age was signed into law by Cuomo in 2017 and directs 16 and 17-year-old offenders to have their cases heard by family court judges, even in serious felonies such as murder.
The reforms were meant to set up youth offenders with resources to try to stop them from becoming repeat offenders, something Hochul has said is an area that should be addressed.
“The money that was allocated for programs as alternatives has not gotten out fast enough,” she said.
Hochul is facing calls to take on the issue, especially after 10 people were shot, including one killed, during multiple volleys of gunfire and a house was razed with a flare gun following a fireworks display near the state capitol in Albany on July 4.
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan and Police Chief Brendan Cox ripped Raise The Age in a press conference shortly after the July 4th shootings.
“I don’t say that a lot of 15-year-olds need to be taken off the street and put away, but if a 15-year-old is walking down the street and just indiscriminately firing into a crowd, well, I hate to say it, but they got to be taken off the street and they got to go away,” Cox said.
Albany District Attorney Lee Kindlon, a Democrat and former defense attorney, has also called for changes to the statute.
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