The state Legislature passed major criminal justice reforms eliminating cash bail for most misdemeanor and non-violent felony offenses and expediting the timeline for prosecutors to share evidence with defendants.

State Sen. Chris Jacobs, R-Buffalo, said he opposed them both because he had concerns about the reforms and because he felt they were rushed as part of the budget process.

"I think some of these glaring instances did not come out because of how quickly this legislation was drafted," he said. "I think if they would, we maybe would have had more of an opportunity but again I pushed for reform on the budget process because policy items like this should not be able to be put into the budget."

Jacobs said he's since spoken with district attorneys, judges, and law enforcement and has some real concerns about the bills set to go into effect January 1. Among them, he said police won't be able to take potentially violent offenders in cases like burglaries, robberies, and even aggravated assault into custody.

"Instead of taking that individual down to jail and booking them, they will give them an appearance ticket to come to court at a later date and they will leave your home free to actually go and break in another house that very day if they want to," Jacobs said.

He said judges have also expressed concern about losing discretion to use bail or the threat of jail time to encourage people battling addiction to seek immediate treatment. And Erie County Sheriff Tim Howard, R, said the many people who get drug or mental health treatment in jail will no longer have that opportunity.

"We are creating a very desperate situation for inmates without anybody putting any thought to that," Howard said.

Law enforcement and DAs have also expressed concern about the lack of funding to implement the law. So Jacobs is co-sponsoring legislation for a one-year moratorium on implementation. It would also require 10 public hearings.

"I'm hoping that people will realize that people on the front line who are giving real-life examples of real things that are going to happen on January 1, that this will be given reconsideration," he said.

The Legislature doesn't actually return to Albany until January 8 but Jacobs believes the governor could also postpone implementation.

The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo said the current discovery and bail rules have ruined lives and New York was already lagging behind other states. It said a moratorium would be irresponsible.