Senate leaders appear to support Gov. Hochul's second pick to lead New York Court of Appeals
NEW YORK -- There is still no budget agreement in Albany, but Gov. Kathy Hochul is apparently scoring big on her second attempt to name a chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals.
Lawmaker seem to be moving closer to a deal on bail reform and the senate leaders who opposed Hochul's nomination of Judge Hector LaSalle are solidly in favor of her latest pick.
Less than three months ago, Senate Judiciary Chairman Brad Hoylman-Sigal announced LaSalle's nomination would not pass muster. He described Hochul's second pick, Court of Appeals Associate Justice Rowan Wilson, as "an accomplished and well-respected jurist."
Wilson, a Harvard-educated lawyer, would make history as the first Black person to head New York's top court.
In addition, Hochul nominated Caitlin Halligan to fill Wilson's vacancy. Halligan, currently in private practice, has served as state solicitor general and general council to the Manhattan District Attorney.
The judicial nomination came as Hochul and the legislature missed the latest budget deadline, but passed an extension to give themselves an additional week to hammer out a deal.
Sources told CBS2 there has finally been some movement on the issue of bail reform, which has been holding up agreement on other hot-button issues like charter schools and the creation of more affordable housing.
The extension was needed to make sure 83,000 state workers can be paid. It could also make this the latest budget since 2010.
On bail, the current discussion centers on giving judges more discretion by removing the requirement they choose the "least restrictive" option. Lawmakers appear ready to go along with it as long as judges also consider diversion programs as an option.
The Court of Appeals nominees will have to be approved by the senate.