New York Lawmakers Soften State's Drug Laws

[Rose Siding]

....
Movement on the Rockefeller drug laws represent the culmination of a decades-long campaign to soften drug penalties instituted in the 1970's that put some offenders away for 15 years to life. Under the changes, some drug offenders would be immediately released from prison. The length of the longest sentences would be reduced to 20 years. The Rockefeller laws were passed three decades ago to confront the narcotics scourge of that era, but critics say they have subjected hundreds if not thousands of people to unnecessarily lengthy prison terms.
....
The drug bill, at its core, provides for lower sentences for nonviolent drug offenders and for a series of set sentences for those convicted of drug offences. It also doubled the weight threshold for possession of heroin, cocaine and some other narcotics to eight ounces from four in Class A-1 felonies and from four ounces to two ounces in Class A-II felonies.

Previously, first-time Class A-1 felony offenders have faced a minimum sentence of 15 years to life in prison. But the new minimum sentence for those offenders would become 8 years, with up to 20 years as a maximum. The sentencing guidelines were also changed for Class B felony offenses, though punishment for violent offenders would be increased, said one Republican senator.
....
.....it was ultimately an agreement worked out behind the scenes and with little time for debate.
"This is it? This is it?" said Thomas K. Duane, a Democrat from Manhattan.
"After all this time, this is what comes to the floor? It would be an unbelievable stretch to call this Rockefeller drug law reform."

http://nytimes.com/2004/12/07/nyregion/07cnd-drug.html?hp&ex=1102482000&en=c295dfb82d35fe3f&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[PROGRESSIVE1]

1. kick

At least it's a start.

[Rose Siding]

5. This will free lots of people won't it?

I remember Charles Grodin doing some specials about this years ago on his program. He portrayed several cases in a very sympathetic light.

[Trillo]

2. What is a class A-2 felony?

I ask because a sentence above claims that weight thresholds were doubled, and if the report is true, they did with A-1 felonies; however, A-2 felony weight thresholds appear to have been halved: "It also doubled the weight threshold ... from four ounces to two ounces in Class A-II felonies."

Is this just a reporting error?

Also, what is a class B felony? The article doesn't say.

[rug]

3. Long sentences

A-II is 10 to life

B is 8 1/3 to 25.

The weights are correct

[ooglymoogly]

4. does about time fit this heinous crime by rockefeller

or is that stoneagefeller i never could spell that idiots name. too little too late you have wrecked countless peoples lives their families and children. you mr stoneagefeller will rot in hell along with herr bush and herr uberalles hitler for crimes against humanity

[Runcible Spoon]

6. we voted David Soares in....

this article is just the beginning! Soares ran purely on the platform that he will reform these antiquated laws.