Nick Reisman is reporting for State of Politics the changes made to New York's cash bail law last week have been criticized by supporters of the original measure as well as its Republican detractors. However, New Yorkers United for Justice, a criminal justice reform coalition led by two formerly incarcerated people, said the changes maintained the spirit of the original law's intent. The legislation, which was approved April 3 as part of the state budget deal, added more charges that would require cash bail. The final agreement did not include a provision allowing judges to remand a defendant based on whether the person is believed to be a danger to the community. “We view these changes to the pretrial reform laws as a signal that the legislative portion of pretrial reforms has drawn to a close," said Khalil Cumberbatch, the group's chief strategist. "...We will continue to offer our partnership to all stakeholders involved, including the governor and the legislature to affect that, and to help demonstrate that fairness under the law and the safety of our communities go together." United for Justice, like other reform advocates, is currently concerned about the number of people in local jails who could face exposure to coronavirus, urging law enforcement to ensure that no one is unnecessarily detained or incarcerated during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.