Gov. Hochul signs substance use treatment legislation (photo: Governor's Office)

Governor Hochul’s veto of the Nonreligious Recovery Options bill is a significant missed opportunity to both improve New York’s civil rights record and improve public health outcomes in the midst of an ever-worsening addiction crisis that is claiming the life of a New Yorker every three hours. 

This bill would require New York’s courts, prior to specifying a substance use program, to inquire on the record if the defendant objects to a