Melissa Tanis

FORMER PAROLE COMMISSIONER, CURRENT BK DISTRICT ATTORNEY, CRIME SURVIVORS & FORMERLY INCARCERATED NEW YORKERS HAIL KEY NY SENATE COMMITTEE PASSAGE OF FAIR & TIMELY PAROLE ACT

May 20, 2026 by Melissa Tanis

PRESS RELEASE, May 20, 2026 — (New York State) Today, the New York State Senate Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction passed the Fair & Timely Parole Act, which restores the Parole Board to its original purpose of evaluating people’s readiness for release, rather than denying people based solely or primarily on the conviction for which they have already served their sentence, while preserving the Board’s discretion to make individualized determinations. In other words, it would provide more rigorous parole reviews for incarcerated people who are already parole-eligible, with a focus on current safety risk. The bill passed the committee with unanimous support from committee members of the Senate Majority Conference.

PRESS RELEASE • NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK, LAWMAKERS, CRIME SURVIVORS & FORMERLY INCARCERATED NEW YORKERS TO RALLY FOR PAROLE JUSTICE IN NYS CAPITOL

January 21, 2026 by Melissa Tanis

PRESS RELEASE, January 21, 2026 — (Albany, NY) — Today, the National Action Network’s House of Justice, more than a dozen state legislators, crime survivors and formerly incarcerated advocates held a rally to demand passage of Parole Justice legislation to promote transformation and healing, help build safe communities, and end permanent punishment...

After a year of crisis, advocates make early push for prison reform

January 14, 2026 by Melissa Tanis

A new report from a Queens state senator’s office contends that violence and racism are endemic throughout New York State prison’s system, and calls on the legislature to pass reforms to prevent a repeat of the crises that engulfed the prisons last year.

2025 Legislative Session RAPP-Up

June 19, 2025 by Melissa Tanis

Dear RAPP family, Following the horrific murders of two incarcerated people, Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi, by prison guards and sergeants, the 2025 legislative session in New York State was …

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Advocates Respond to Gov. Hochul’s Latest Clemencies

May 24, 2024 by Melissa Tanis

PRESS RELEASE, MAY 24, 2024: (NEW YORK, NY) –Today, Governor Kathy Hochul granted 13 clemencies, including two to people incarcerated in the New York State prison system and 11 pardons to individuals already living in the community.

Council calls on Albany to pass parole reform bills

December 20, 2023 by Melissa Tanis

The City Council on Wednesday called on the state legislature to pass a pair of bills that would offer thousands of aging and elderly incarcerated New Yorkers new opportunities for release.

The issues most likely to dominate the 2024 New York legislative session

December 18, 2023 by Melissa Tanis

State legislators are looking to pick up where they left off last year as the first day of the 2024 legislative session kicks off a new year in Albany on Jan. 3. Lawmakers are hoping to take meaningful action on a range of issues, including housing, health care, cannabis reform and the environment.

Protesters shut down Manhattan Bridge to urge Hochul to establish unemployment fund for excluded workers

March 6, 2023 by Melissa Tanis

By: Sarah Belle Lin, AMNY, Around 500 laborers and workers shut down the Manhattan Bridge during the Monday morning rush hour to push for state legislation that would provide more workers with access to unemployment benefits in times of need.

‘The people left behind’: Advocates renew push to pass parole reform

January 24, 2023 by Melissa Tanis

By: Jacob Kaye, Queens Daily Eagle: Last year, Robert Webster was sitting in prison, facing the prospect of serving two more decades of his 50 year to life sentence. The Queens man had already served 34 years of that sentence, which he was given when he was 17 years old.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2023, ALL DAY • Parole Justice Day of Action • NY State Capital, Albany!

January 18, 2023 by Melissa Tanis

On this advocacy day, we’ll celebrate and honor the incredible achievements of formerly incarcerated people who have returned home to give back to their communities, and call for passage of …

AT RALLY IN SUPPORT OF PAROLE REFORM, NY LAWMAKERS ISSUE OFFICIAL PROCLAMATIONS TO DOZENS OF FORMERLY INCARCERATED NEW YORKERS DOING ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY SAFETY WORK

January 18, 2023 by Melissa Tanis

January 18, 2023: Press Release FORMERLY INCARCERATED SPEAKERS DECLARE: “WE’RE PART OF THE SOLUTION TO VIOLENCE” AND CALL FOR PASSAGE OF THE ELDER PAROLE AND FAIR & TIMELY PAROLE TO BRING HOME MORE LEADERS TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY SAFETY

Parole advocates pack NYS Capitol pressing lawmakers to pass reform

January 18, 2023 by Melissa Tanis

By: Mikhaela Singleton, ABC News10: More than a hundred people packing the Million-Dollar Staircase end-to-end Wednesday afternoon, hoping their voices will echo up to lawmakers.