Health care costs, marijuana legalization on legislators' minds

Feb. 1--GLENS FALLS -- Expanding broadband and cellular access, lowering the cost of health insurance, fixing bail reform and possibly legalizing marijuana are among some of the top issues facing local legislators in Albany this year.

Nearly 200 people attended a legislative luncheon at The Queenbury Hotel on Friday to hear from state and federal representatives on these issues.

The panel consisted of U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville; state Sen. Betty Little, R-Queensbury; Assemblyman Dan Stec, R-Queensbury; and Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake.

In her last year in the Legislature, Little said she is going to make a priority the expansion of broadband and cell coverage to all places in her district.

"There's just way too many spaces where they don't (have coverage)," she said.

Woerner said she participated in a hearing on rural broadband this past summer that identified reasons why it is more expensive to deliver services to some rural areas. She is going to work to see how to reduce those costs.

"That's what's keeping economic development out of our more rural communities," she said.

Stefanik said she recently called the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and was able to get him to reverse the agency's decision that would have excluded New York from accessing a $16 billion pot of funds to expand high-speed internet.

Stefanik, who cited the United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement opening up markets, such as Canada, for U.S. farmers, said business confidence is at an all-time high.

"I think that's why you're seeing crowded forums like this -- people that are excited about the investments they are able to make," she said.

Stec said Gov. Andrew Cuomo highlighted the need for more cell service, but did not include additional funding in his budget.

Wastewater and water projects are another one of his priorities, Stec said.

"It's not sexy stuff. It's not too exciting or controversial, but it's important to everybody in the room here," he said.

Marijuana legalization debated

Cuomo has once again called for the legalization of recreational marijuana in his budget.

Little said she has not decided how she comes down on the issue. She said she has talked to officials from drug and alcohol rehabilitation organizations who believe it is a gateway drug. Law enforcement professionals worry about traffic safety, she said.

She said possession of small amounts of marijuana was decriminalized last year.

"Why wouldn't we wait until we see how that works?" she said.

Woerner said technology has come on the market to test if someone has consumed marijuana either through smoking or through edibles.

There is a $2 billion black market and Massachusetts has already legalized it, she added.

"If you go to the parking lot of the dispensaries over there, they are filled with cars with New York state plates," she said.

Woerner said if recreational marijuana is legalized, it could be regulated and taxed.

Stec reiterated his complaint about the governor putting policy initiatives in the budget that have nothing to do with spending. A similar issue happened last year with bail reform measures, he said.

He agreed with Little to hold off on legalizing recreational marijuana and see how decriminalization is going.

Stec said he is a firm "no."

"I think the costs are going to outweigh any financial benefit," he said.

Health care, red tape

Other issues that came up during the 90-minute discussion included reducing health care costs and regulations facing businesses.

Stefanik pointed to legislation that has been passed to repeal the tax for not having a health care plan, medical device tax and the so-called "Cadillac" tax on expensive health plans.

"The cost continues to be an issue -- whether it's out-of-pocket co-pays or whether it's rising premiums," she said.

Stefanik said there is bipartisan legislation to rein in the costs of prescription drugs. However, she faulted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for bringing forth what Stefanik called a partisan bill that would have imposed a hefty tax on some prescription drugs that are used to fight rare diseases.

Woerner suggested one way to reduce health care costs is to make it possible for emergency medical services organizations to transport to places like urgent care facilities. The law currently requires that they transport patients only to hospital emergency rooms, but Woerner pointed out that, particularly for elderly people who are living alone that have a medical issue, an urgent care facility can provide services at a lower costs.

Also, Woerner said EMS staff should be allowed to do wellness checks.

On another issue, Woerner said it can take a year for a business to get a liquor license. That process should be sped up, and if the state does not comply with a certain time frame, the applicant should get their fees refunded, she said.

New York City drives agenda

This is the second year that Republicans are in the minority in the Senate. The priorities have been very focused on New York City, according to Little. She said she believes there has been a pent-up desire for Democrats to push through bills that had been blocked for years in the Senate.

"They're just flipping through and finding those bills and passing them in the Senate and now they're becoming law. There isn't a lot of forethought. There isn't a lot of research," she said.

The bail reform that passed last year was an example, she said. The local district attorneys and sheriff's offices were not contacted.

There will be a big rally in Albany on Tuesday on the issue, she said.

Stec agreed that the legislation went far beyond addressing the issue of someone being locked up because they could not post bail for a minor crime.

"There are some dangerous people that are being let out right now and they're mandated to be let out," he said.

Those people can go out and rob more banks or commit other crimes, Stec said.

Being heard

Local advocacy groups such as the chamber have to be as vocal as possible at the state level, Little said.

"You can scream, holler, send emails, write letters and state your case. Everyone counts who they hear from, the number of people they hear from," she said.

Woerner encouraged people to show up in person in Albany to lobby.

"It's that face-to-face communication that has the biggest impact," she said.

Stec agreed.

"What moves the needle in Albany is people wearing the same colored T-shirt yelling and screaming at us," he said.

Reach Michael Goot at 518-742-3320 or [email protected] and follow his blog poststar.com/blogs/michael_goot/.

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