NY Democrats prioritize mass transit and hospital funds in budget battle.
Republican legislative leaders in New York are urging Governor Kathy Hochul to fight harder against fellow Democrats in budget talks to overhaul bail reform. The Democratic supermajorities in the state Senate and Assembly rejected her proposal to loosen bail laws to make it easier for judges to impose cash bail on criminal defendants accused of serious offenses. Republicans have pointed to a series of retail thefts and other crimes tied to repeat offenders while arguing that bail reform must get rolled back despite the resistance of Democratic lawmakers.