2023 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Crime
Brad Little:
While others seek to defund the police, we DEFEND the police
And my IDAHO FIRST plan Backs the Blue again, adding 10-percent pay raises for our brave and dedicated law enforcement officers. What does this mean for your average state police trooper? It means a $6,000 raise.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, while other places seek to defund the police, here in Idaho we DEFEND the police!
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Idaho legislature
Jan 9, 2023
Brian Kemp:
Come after our children, and we will come after you!
For far too many Georgians, the safety of their families and homes is put at risk by the unchecked crimes of street gangs. We created the GBI's Anti-Gang Task Force to take the fight to these criminals. And you gave the state a new tool to ensure
justice--the Gang Prosecution Unit in the Office of Attorney General. The Attorney General and his team have already indicted over fifty gang members in just the first six months of standing up this unit, with more on the way!
In communities across our state, gangs are actively recruiting children as young as elementary school students into a life of crime. They are targeting the most innocent among us, pulling them down a dark path that too often leads to either a prison
cell or the cemetery. That is why, along with the Attorney General, I'm proposing legislation that will increase penalties for those trying to recruit our children into a gang. Let me be clear: come after our children, and we will come after you!
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Georgia legislature
Jan 25, 2023
Henry McMaster:
Keep career criminals behind bars & carry out executions
Law enforcement needs our help. They need stronger laws to keep illegal guns out of the hands of criminals and juveniles, and new laws to "close the revolving door" and keep career criminals behind bars and not out on bond. That means no bond for
repeat criminals. Those who commit a crime while out on bond will receive an automatic mandatory five-year felony sentence with no early release or parole--on top of the sentence for their previous crimes.
We have no means to carry out a death sentence in South Carolina--and the murderers know it. The Department of Corrections has been unable to carry out the death penalty by lethal injection since 2011 because the companies which make the drugs
will not sell them unless their identities are shielded by state law from anti-death penalty activists. I ask the General Assembly again: pass a shield law. We must give these grieving families and loved ones the justice and closure they are owed by law.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the S.C. legislature
Jan 25, 2023
Jared Polis:
Crack down on auto theft, propose tougher sentencing
This funding will help us crack down on auto theft with stronger tools like technology to help us locate and return stolen vehicles, an auto-theft task force, and greater support for District Attorneys in communities with high rates of auto theft to
help them prosecute the criminals responsible. I called on the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice to get tough on auto theft sentencing, and the Commission's Sentencing Task Force moved that recommendation forward overwhelmingly.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Colorado legislature
Jan 17, 2023
Jim Pillen:
Meet programming needs of inmates to reduce recidivism
I am recommending finalizing the last phase of funding to replace the Nebraska State Penitentiary, which this body has approved. The facility was designed more than a century ago. It can't meet the programming needs
of our inmates to reduce recidivism and get people back to work after they pay their dues to society for their transgressions. A new facility, with additional space for programming, will help more people to become productive, law-abiding citizens.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Nebraska legislature
Jan 25, 2023
Joe Lombardo:
Make it harder--not easier--to commit a crime in Nevada
I will be introducing legislation that makes it harder ?not easier--to commit a crime in the state of Nevada. My bill will include:- Protecting businesses by lowering the felony theft threshold;
- Empowering judges and probation officers
to impose tougher sanctions for parole violations;
- Strengthening drug laws by reducing weights for possession and trafficking, while increasing penalties;
- Fentanyl possession in any amount should be a category B felony,
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Nevada legislature
Jan 23, 2023
John Carney:
Expand group intervention program to reduce gun violence
Protecting our state also means making sure Delaware families feel safe in their homes and communities. We're working with leaders in Wilmington and Dover to expand our Group Violence Intervention Program--to reduce gun violence.
Our collective efforts have shown good results. Statewide, shootings are down nearly 30 percent since last year. There's a lot more work to do, for sure. Gun violence anywhere is unacceptable--and we need everyone to make this a priority.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Delaware legislature
Jan 19, 2023
Josh Green:
Move toward restorative approach not strictly punitive
Almost all of those convicted of non-violent crimes and held in our correctional facilities will one day return to our communities and will be living alongside us as our neighbors.
We must move toward a restorative approach to justice rather than strictly punitive one.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Hawaii legislature
Jan 23, 2023
Kathy Hochul:
I stand by bail reform but there's room for improvement
First, the size of someone's bank account should not determine whether they sit in jail, or return home, before they have even been convicted of a crime. That was the goal of bail reform. It was a righteous one, and I stand by it.
Second, bail reform is not the primary driver of a national crime wave created by a convergence of factors, including the pandemic. And third, that the bail reform law as written now leaves room for improvement.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the New York legislature
Jan 10, 2023
Kim Reynolds:
Treat fentanyl crimes as atrocities, increase penalties
We can take a stand by treating fentanyl crimes as the atrocities they are. I'm calling on the legislature to increase penalties for manufacturing and distributing fentanyl in any amount. That means longer sentences and higher fines, even where
the quantity is small. And when an overdose leads to death or serious injury, the sentences will be even steeper.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Iowa legislature
Jan 10, 2023
Mark Gordon:
Create Ashanti Alert System for notice of missing adults
Both Tribes have emphasized the need to address the epidemic of missing person cases afflicting Tribal communities. To help counter this ongoing tragedy, I established the Wyoming Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Task Force. Their work has
resulted in several recommendations, among them is creating the Ashanti Alert System. It is a needed solution to help all Wyoming people. It will function similarly to an AMBER alert, quickly sending notifications to the public about missing adults.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Wyoming legislature
Jan 11, 2023
Michelle Lujan-Grisham:
Keep high-risk violent offenders behind bars before trial
We will not relent from our commitment to establish a "rebuttable presumption" to make sure that high-risk violent offenders stay behind bars before trial. We'll tackle organized crime and the criminals who fund it through retail and
commercial theft, smashing the syndicates that are terrorizing our business community. And we will continue to expand our police force to make sure our law enforcement has the personnel, training and tools to serve our neighborhoods effectively.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the N.M. legislature
Jan 19, 2023
Mike Dunleavy:
For the first time in Alaska history, no actually means no
We did take a major step to protect Alaskans last year when we reformed our outdated consent law. Prior to this bill's passage, under Alaska law, the onus was on the victim to physically resist the perpetrator. As we know, when such crimes are being
committed, physically resisting isn't always possible. And, as all of us know, no should mean no. Now, it does. Now, we have the tools to prosecute these perpetrators. Now, for the first time in Alaska history, no actually means no.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Alaska legislature
Jan 23, 2023
Phil Murphy:
Top priority is tightening laws against car theft
Many of our communities are living amidst another persistent wave of car thefts. Over the past year, our administration has focused clearly on this problem. These steps are already helping to bring down the numbers of car thefts. We all know there's
more we can do. In fact, three months ago, I stood alongside the legislative leaders from both houses to unveil a package to further tighten our laws against car theft. So, I ask you today to make passing these measures a top priority.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the N.J. legislature
Jan 10, 2023
Glenn Youngkin:
Tougher penalties for those who commit crimes with guns
Because of soft on crime policies from previous administrations, the record murder rates of 2020 persist across the commonwealth, virtually every law enforcement agency has 20% or greater staffing vacancies. The extensive work of our Violent Crime Task
Force, working with city leaders, heard clearly--we need more police on the street, more prosecutors to put criminals behind bars, tougher penalties for those who commit crimes with guns and more support for witnesses and community prevention.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Virginia legislature
Jan 11, 2023
Bill Lee:
At least one Homeland Security Agent in each of our counties
Since 2019, Tennessee has done a lot of work to strengthen school safety. Every single person has a role to play in school safety. That's why we have a School Safety Toolkit for every parent, and we have the SafeTN App, where any Tennessean can report
suspicious activity. This year, we're doubling down with new legislation to enhance physical security in classrooms. We're also proposing new funding to place at least one Homeland Security Agent in each of our 95 counties.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Tennessee legislature
Feb 6, 2023
Greg Abbott:
Activist judges use low bail to let out dangerous criminals
One of the most dangerous places is one you would least expect: a courtroom where activist judges are using low bail to let dangerous criminals back on the streets. We must shut and lock that revolving door by passing laws
that keep dangerous criminals behind bars and hold accountable the judges who let them out. To get that done, I am making ending revolving door bail an emergency item this session.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Texas legislature
Feb 16, 2023
Page last updated: Apr 02, 2023