In the 1970s, New York Legislature reformed drug laws to impose mandatory minimum sentencing for drug dealers. These laws came to be known as the Rockefeller Drug Laws, named after then-Governor Nelson Rockefeller. These laws had significant influence on the laws of other states and the U.S. prison system. In the past four decades, Rockefeller Drug Laws - and laws like them - have disproportionately impacted women and minorities. New York reformed these laws in 2004 and again in 2009.
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