State Lawmakers Push for Prison Reform

Lawmakers and community advocates rallied in Albany on Monday in support of three bills that would help protect imprisoned people from abuse. 

According to the New York State Department of Corrections, 25 people have died in New York state prisons since the beginning of March 2026.

 “New York can’t continue down the path that we’re on,” said Melanie Bishop, a member of the Center for Community Alternatives. “We cannot keep people locked in cells without treatment, without programs, without hope, and expect safe communities in return.” 

One of the bills these advocates are fighting for is the Second Look Act. This legislation would allow people in prison who have either served 10 years, or half of their sentence, be released earlier on a reduced sentence.

Fuente Bradley’s mother is incarcerated at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Westchester. The second-look law would allow her mother’s sentence to be reevaluated. 

“Her chance at a second look is not only about her freedom, it’s about breaking patterns that have affected our family for decades,” Bradley said. “It's about creating a space for hope, growth, and possibility that reaches far beyond one’s life.” 

Another bill that advocates are fighting for is the Earned Time Act. It would create more programs to rehabilitate people in prison. Supporters say this would help them have an easier transition after being released. 

The last piece of legislation is the Marvin Mayfield Act that would eliminate mandatory minimum sentences. Instead, judges would have to take into account someone's personal circumstances that led to the crime when considering sentencing lengths. 

“Our families and communities and real progression depend on acknowledging people’s humanity and their capacity to grow,” said Monique Chandler-Waterman, an assemblywoman representing central Brooklyn's 58th District. “You can make a wrong decision, someone still loves you, you’re still a good person, and you can still change.”