People v. Roper

Sections 93 and 94 of the General Construction Law (Cons. Laws, ch. 22) have no application here. They provide merely a principle of construction to be applied in determining the scope of legislation which expressly or impliedly repeals earlier statutes. In the absence of evidence of contrary intent such legislation is not to be given retroactive effect. (People ex rel. City of Buffalo v. N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R. Co., 156 N. Y. 570.) They apply with special force to statutes which otherwise would be ex post facto or would deprive persons of substantial rights. Here the Legislature has reduced…