Enacted in 1973, the Rockefeller Drug Laws mandated extremely harsh prison terms for the possession or sale of relatively small amounts of drugs. Though the laws were intended to target drug kingpins, most sentenced under them are charged with low-level, nonviolent offenses. Most of the nearly 12,000 New Yorkers serving time for drug offenses have substance abuse problems; many others turned to drugs because of problems related to homelessness, mental illness or unemployment.

Late on April 2, the New York State Senate passed historic reforms of the Rockefeller Drug Laws that made great progress in eliminating most mandatory minimum sentences and significantly restoring judges' ability to order treatment and rehabilitation instead of incarceration. The bill now goes to Governor Paterson, who has pledged to sign it.

Despite aggressive lobbying and deliberate fear-mongering by prosecutors throughout the state, the legislature passed major reforms without amendment.

Take a minute to send a free thank you note to the governor, assembly speaker, senate majority leader, and your local lawmakers who supported progress below.

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Thank you for your vote in favor of major reforms of the Rockefeller Drug Laws.

After 36 years of failure, I am very proud to see New York adopt a public health approach to drug policy and to the problems related to substance abuse.

Although there is still more work to be done to eliminate injustice from our drug sentencing structure, these reforms are an historic moment for our State.

Thank you for your leadership.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
April 03, 2009