Age-of-criminality change meets a roadblock

That clank you just heard was the “Raise the Age” campaign running into opposition.

The proposal would change the age of criminal responsibility to 18, meaning 16- and 17-year-olds would no longer be prosecuted as adults.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and many other Democrats favor the idea, and it seemed to gain momentum with some district attorneys. But the Republican-led Senate excluded it from its budget proposal after the Cuomo administration stumbled, at a public hearing, to explain how the proposal would apply in specific situations.

Now the issue is whether the Republicans will fight to block the proposal or use it as a bargaining chit as lawmakers negotiate a budget.