New York Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed changes to the state’s discovery laws aiming to expedite trials, enhance public safety, and hold repeat offenders accountable. At a recent press conference in New York City, Hochul cited a specific case where a court had to dismiss charges due to delays in obtaining evidence. She emphasized that the current discovery process, which requires rapid evidence exchange between prosecutors and defense, has led to the dismissal of valid cases because of technicalities and difficulties in meeting those deadlines.
Her proposed reforms include eliminating retroactive penalties for delays, implementing automatic redaction for sensitive information, and reducing the notice requirement for grand jury testimony from 48 to 24 hours. The District Attorneys Association of the State of New York (DAASNY) supports these changes,