Contact: Rabiah Burks, 202-822-6700 rburks@famm.org FAMM Applauds Senate Passage of the First Step Act The criminal justice organization says family advocates paved the way for reform. WASHINGTON – FAMM President Kevin Ring issued the following statement today in response to the U.S. Senate’s bipartisan passage of the First Step Act (S. 3747) by a vote of … Read More
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Contact: Rabiah Burks rburks@famm.org 202.822.6700 FAMM Commends Idaho House of Representatives for Passing Meaningful Safety Valve Legislation BOISE, IDAHO – Today, the Idaho House of Representatives passed HB 581, 46 to 20. The bill, introduced by Reps. Ilana Rubel (D-Boise) and Christy Perry (R-Nampa), would create a “safety valve” mechanism that would allow Idaho courts to … Read More
Read MoreContact: Leila McDowell, lmcdowell@famm.org, 202.822.6700 Washington, DC — A new report by Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) argues sentencing discretion for nonviolent and drug offenses can ease prison overcrowding, save tax dollars, and protect public safety. The new report, Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Reform Saves States Money and Reduces … Read More
Read MoreOctober 8, 2015Contact: Jessica Breslin, 202-822-6700, jbreslin@famm.org WASHINGTON, DC — FAMM Government Affairs Counsel Molly Gill today praised a new U.S. House of Representatives sentencing reform bill, calling it “more evidence that Congress is finally ready to fix our federal mandatory minimum sentencing laws.” The bill, titled “The Sentencing Reform Act,” was introduced by House Judiciary … Read More
Read MoreUPDATE: Senate Judiciary bill summary as well as a section by section factsheet. Full text of bill available here: Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act, S. 2123 October 1, 2015 Contact: Mike Riggs, 202-822-6700, mriggs@famm.org or Molly Gill, mgill@famm.org WASHINGTON, DC — FAMM President Julie Stewart today praised a new U.S. Senate sentencing and prison reform bill, calling it one … Read More
Read MoreMEDIA Contact: Greg Newburn, FAMM State Policy Director, (352) 682-2542 TALLAHASSEE – Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) State Policy Director Greg Newburn urged Florida lawmakers to support the “Self-Defense Protection Act,” filed yesterday by Representative Neil Combee (R, Polk City) and Senator Aaron Bean (R, Jacksonville). The bill – HB 135 and SB 228 – … Read More
Read MoreIn a press conference today, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) told reporters that he “absolutely” supports the SAFE Justice Act–which was introduced earlier this month by Reps. Jim Sensenbrenner (R) and Bobby Scott (D), and 18 other bipartisan co-sponsors–and would like to see it come to the House floor. You can watch Speaker Boehner’s remarks … Read More
Read MoreMEDIA CONTACT: Mike Riggs, 202-822-6706, mriggs@famm.org WASHINGTON, D.C. — FAMM President Julie Stewart today congratulated Maryland leaders for approving major reforms to the state’s drug mandatory minimum sentences. The legislation, HB 121, authorizes state courts to depart below a mandatory minimum in cases where the minimum prison term is not necessary to protect the public … Read More
Read MoreFAMM President Urges Congress to Follow Suit MEDIA CONTACT: Mike Riggs, 202-822-6706, mriggs@famm.org WASHINGTON, D.C. — FAMM President Julie Stewart called on Congress today to follow the lead of several states moving forward with commonsense reforms to their ineffective and costly mandatory minimum sentencing laws. Legislative proposals to reform mandatory sentencing laws have advanced most … Read More
Read MoreFAMM applauds bipartisan effort to curb BOP costs and over-crowding, restore fairness to federal sentencing. A new and improved version of the Smarter Sentencing Act (S. 502/H.R. 920) was introduced today in both the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate, with an even larger number of co-sponsors from both parties. The bipartisan Senate bill (S. … Read More
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