Testimony Before the Joint Legislative Budget Hearing on Public Protection

The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) submits this testimony to express concerns about several proposals in the FY 2026 Public Protection and General Government (PPGG) Article VII bill, urging the legislature to reject the proposed rollback of landmark discovery reforms, the addition of several new crimes, and an expanded ban on access to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) system. We also offer recommendations for how the state can ensure due process for immigrant New Yorkers, reduce the criminalization of poverty in New York, and improve the prison labor system.