The Legislative Gazette

03/05/2024

April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention month and lawmakers are taking time to address some of New York’s questionable laws surrounding s*x crimes with the help of organizations aimed at supporting survivors.

Sen. Nathalia Fernandez and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, both Bronx Democrats, have sponsored legislation (S.4555B/A.1065) that would close this gap. The bill would make it so that a survivor’s intoxication status could not be used in the defense of a s*x crime case.

To read more about this, click the link below:

April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention month and lawmakers are taking time to address some of New York's questionable laws surrounding s*x crimes with the help of organizations aimed at supporting survivors. Under current New York law, a person who becomes voluntarily intoxicated and is

22/04/2024

Tune into our newest podcast episode out now, where Assembly Member Ed Flood talks about his favorite ice cream places in Port Jefferson, how he spent his solar eclipse, and his priority legislation, including protecting homeowners against squatters, and teal alerts for missing adults.

Click the link below to listen:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0WhZBfFUkYyXEbfS547yJZ?si=tzIZiPJLSSmcLPYXloT9ig

18/04/2024

This week, Craig Ross Jr. will receive sentencing for kidnapping and s*xually assaulting a 9-year old girl from Moreau State Park in Saratoga County last fall. Ross faces 47 years to life in prison after pleading guilty back in February.

Senator Jim Tedisco, R-Ballston Lake, and Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, D-Rotterdam, are currently sponsoring legislation (S.7688/A.8141) that would require the installation of security camera systems that would allow for the identification of make, model, and plate number of vehicles entering and exiting any state park, historic site, campground, or recreational facilities.

To learn more, click the link below:

This week, Craig Ross Jr. will receive sentencing for kidnapping and s*xually assaulting a 9-year old girl from Moreau State Park in Saratoga County last fall. Ross faces 47 years to life in prison after pleading guilty back in February. Senator Jim Tedisco, R-Ballston Lake, and Assemblyman Ange

14/04/2024

The second episode of “Not for Print" is out now with Legislative Gazette intern Nayise Gonzalez and Senator Gustavo Rivera. Listen in for Senator Rivera’s introduction into politics, musical karaoke talents and the priorities he carries as Chair of the Senate Health Committee.

Click the link below:
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/legislative-gazette4/episodes/Senator-Gustavo-Rivera-is-interviewed-by-Nayise-Gonzalez-e2i3v16/a-ab572qf

07/04/2024

Assembly Republicans recently introduced an “Affordable Blueprint for Childcare.”

The proposed legislation would expand access to early childcare education, create more affordability, increase the number of childcare providers, and increase tax incentives for childcare providers and families.

The Republican Conference stressed they believe childcare is not a Democrat or Republican issue, but a collective concern for all New Yorkers.

To read more click the link below:

On Monday March 11, Assembly Republicans introduced an “Affordable Blueprint for Childcare.” The proposed legislation would expand access to early childcare education, create more affordability, increase the number of childcare providers, and increase tax incentives for childcare providers and f

04/04/2024

A recent anti-fracking bill, S.8357/A.8866, has now passed in both the Senate and Assembly. The bill would add carbon dioxide fracking to the statewide hydraulic fracking ban codified in the 2020-21 state budget.

A recent anti-fracking bill, S.8357/A.8866, has now passed in both the Senate and Assembly. The bill would add carbon dioxide fracking to the statewide hydraulic fracking ban codified in the 2020-21 state budget. The proposed legislation adds two words to the original law that banned fracking. Th

22/03/2024

On Feb. 15, more than 100 local newspapers across New York state launched The Empire State News Coalition in an effort to approve a legislative package that several news organizations say would bring relief to the struggling local journalism field.

Please read more at:

On Feb. 15, more than 100 local newspapers across New York state launched The Empire State News Coalition in an effort to approve a legislative package that several news organizations say would bring relief to the struggling local journalism field. The Local Journalism Sustainability Act, S625B/A

18/03/2024

Listen in for a sneak peek of the second episode of “Not for Print” with Legislative Gazette intern Nayise Gonzalez and her hometown Senator Gustavo Rivera. In this clip, Senator Rivera shares how his passion for helping Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria led to him hanging with the cast of the Avengers. The full episode will be out soon with more information on Senator Rivera’s introduction into politics, musical karaoke talents and the priorities he carries as Chair of the Senate Health Committee.

Find it on our Spotify:
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/legislative-gazette4/episodes/Episode-2-Sneak-Peek---Senator-Gustavo-Rivera-on-teaming-up-with-the-Avengers-to-help-Puerto-Rico-e2h869u/a-ab3374g

15/03/2024

New York state legislators and members of the Labor Religion Coalition held a rally in the Capitol building’s War Room on March 4 to push for investments prioritizing low-income New Yorkers as the Legislature begins to turn their attention to finalizing the budget.

Speakers at the event included Assembly members, senators, clergy members and advocates protesting the rising rates of poverty amongst New Yorkers while demanding a “moral” budget that will hold New York’s wealthiest accountable and provide relief to poor and working-class constituents.

“New York has the most income inequality in the country and the highest concentration of extreme wealth. Just 0.4% of the state’s population have amassed a combined $6.7 trillion in wealth. Nearly half of that is untaxed investment income,” said Assemblymember Ron Kim, D–Queens, at the press conference...
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New York state legislators and members of the Labor Religion Coalition held a rally in the Capitol building’s War Room on March 4 to push for investments prioritizing low-income New Yorkers as the Legislature begins to turn their attention to finalizing the budget. Speakers at the event included

11/03/2024

New Podcast episode out now! Join one of the Legislative Gazette’s interns, Nayise Gonzalez, and her hometown Assembly Member, Jeffrey Dinowitz in the newest episode of “Not For Print.” Listen in to hear about Dinowitz’s new bills, how he got started in politics and for an up-close view of Assembly District 81, including the best pizza places and everything else the Bronx has to offer.
Check it out here:
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/legislative-gazette4/episodes/Assemblyman-Jeffrey-Dinowitz-is-interviewed-by-Nayise-Gonzalez-e2gu06r

27/02/2024

On Monday, February 26th, multiple student groups joined elected officials in Albany for their Student Empowerment Day advocating for additional funding for students with disabilities. Students from across New York came to share their stories and push for a total of $15 million in the budget to support students with disabilities in higher education. This is an $11 million increase from the $4 million that was allocated last year.

The coalition argues that as students enrolled in colleges with disabilities increase, the funding needs to mirror this so adequate support is given to each student. There are more than 94,735 registered students with disabilities in higher education statewide.

Some of the groups supporting this budget request include New York State Disability Services Council; CUNY Council on Student Disability Issues; New York Coalition of Students with Disabilities in Higher Education; The City of University of New York University Student Senate; the SUNY Student Assembly; CUNY Coalition for Students with Disabilities; the New York Public Interest Research Group; and Disability Culture Center of Syracuse University.

26/02/2024

A new bill (S.8357/A.8866) that would ban the use of carbon dioxide for fracking and gas extraction has been introduced in the Legislature following reports that homeowners in New York’s Southern Tier are being asked to lease their land by a fracking company.

Southern Tier CO2 to Clean Energy Solutions, or Southern Tier Solutions, a Texas-based natural gas production company, started sending letters to residents last summer according to Assemblywoman Lupardo, D–Endwell, one of the bill’s co-sponsors. After learning that more than 6,000 residents received letters from the company, Lupardo and Senator Lea Webb, D–Binghamton, the Senate bill sponsor, sent a letter to the DEC in November requesting information about the company.

The DEC responded in December, writing that the company had not reached out to the agency about the projects and that if they were to receive permit applications from Southern Tier Solutions, there would be a “thorough review” to “ensure the agency’s decision is protective of public health and the environment.”..
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A new bill (S.8357/A.8866) that would ban the use of carbon dioxide for fracking and gas extraction has been introduced in the Legislature following reports that homeowners in New York’s Southern Tier are being asked to lease their land by a fracking company. Southern Tier CO2 to Clean Energy Sol