Raleigh, N.C. – Democrats in the North Carolina Senate pushed through two bills (S488 and S489) today that will reduce sentencing lengths for some repeat felons. Under the legislation, a convicted rapist with a prior record could face a prison term more than two years shorter than under the current law.  The argument advanced in favor of the legislation was to avoid costs to the state to build additional prisons to house convicted criminals.

“Protecting law-abiding citizens is the first obligation of government.  Today, Senate Democrats failed in their primary responsibility,” said Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham).  “This is what you get from years of spending every dime in sight while ignoring the need for additional prison space.  Now instead of cutting waste and inefficiency in state government, Democrats chose to shorten prison sentences and give dangerous criminals an early return to North Carolina’s communities.”