CALL YOUR LEGISLATORS

FIGHT BACK AGAINST THE SENATE’S REGRESSIVE BAIL PROPOSAL

Please call & write your state legislators and urge them to oppose any rollbacks or regressive changes to bail reform. Find your Senator and Assembly Member at openstates.org. Please also call Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Heastie and Governor Cuomo. Scripts for each below. 

Script for your Assemblymember or Senator

Find your Senator and Assembly Member at openstates.org. 

“Hello, my name is ____ and I’m a constituent of [Assemblymember or Senator name]. I’m calling to express my support for the new bail and discovery laws, which are already making New York fairer, safer, and more just. [You can also add any other reasons you support the new law.] I am strongly opposed to what has been announced of the Senate’s regressive bail proposal. This proposal will allow for mass pretrial detention and exacerbate racial disparities. We have to keep moving forward for justice. I’m asking the [Senator or Assembly Member] to commit to stand up for what is right and oppose any efforts to rollback our progress by making changes to the bail and discovery laws. Will you [call me back/email me] with that commitment? Thank you.”

Extra credit for:

• Leaving your name and preferred contact info (email or phone).
• Politely making sure the person on the other end of the line actually writes down your message.
• Asking for the staffer’s name and writing it down in your calendar so you can call them back every 3 to 5 days until they commit to opposing rollbacks.
• Emailing [email protected] if/when you get a commitment.

Script for Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins 

Call: (518) 455-2585

“Hello, my name is ____ and I’m a New Yorker. I’m calling to express my support for the new bail and discovery laws, which are already making New York fairer, safer, and more just. [You can also add any other reasons you support the new law.] I am strongly opposed to what has been announced of the Senate’s regressive bail proposal. This proposal will allow for mass pretrial detention and exacerbate racial disparities. We have to keep moving forward for justice. I’m asking Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins to commit to stand up for what is right and oppose any efforts to rollback our progress by making changes to the bail and discovery laws. Will you [call me back/email me] with that commitment? Thank you.”

Script for Governor Cuomo

Call: (518) 474-8390

“Hello, my name is ____ and I’m a New Yorker. I’m calling to express my dismay that the Governor is calling for rollbacks to bail reform. I strongly support the new bail and discovery laws, which are already making New York fairer, safer, and more just. [You can also add any other reasons you support the new law.] As new studies have show, bail reform rollbacks will increase pretrial incarceration and disproportionately harm Black New Yorkers. We have to keep moving forward for justice. I’m asking Governor Cuomo to commit to stand up for what is right and not make any changes to the bail and discovery laws. Will you [call me back/email me] with that commitment? Thank you.”

Script for Assembly Speaker Heastie

Call: (718) 654-6539

“Hello, my name is ____ and I’m a New Yorker. I’m calling to express my support for the new bail and discovery laws, which are already making New York fairer, safer, and more just. [You can also add any other reasons you support the new law.] I want to thank the Assembly Speaker for consistently standing up for these laws and opposing any rollbacks. I urge him to stand strong in the face of fear-mongering and to oppose the Senate’s regressive bail proposal. This proposal will allow for mass pretrial detention and exacerbate racial disparities.  Will you [call me back/email me] with the Assembly Speaker’s commitment to oppose this regressive proposal? Thank you.”

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