N.Y. State Assembly Speaker Issues Remarks Opening 241st Legislative Session
Welcome members, staff, interns and guests joining us in the Chamber today as we convene the 241st Legislative Session.
I would like to begin by offering my best wishes to you all for a safe, healthy and productive year.
To all of my Assembly colleagues, welcome back. It is certainly a pleasure to see you again.
I extend a special welcome to our newest colleagues, Assemblymembers
When we last stood together in this room, we bade farewell to a number of our esteemed colleagues, some of whom are now beginning new chapters in public service. We wish them all the best in their new endeavors.
I also want to take a moment to remember our dear friend and colleague,
He will be deeply missed but always remembered in our hearts. Let us observe a moment of silence in his memory.
My colleagues, we have so much to be thankful for. But as I stand here today, families in
I want to thank all the members in this chamber who came together to help the disaster relief effort, in particular
As we move into the new session, it is my great privilege to formally introduce to the House our new chair of the Ways and Means Committee Assemblywoman
She is no stranger to these halls and her experience will be a guiding force for this legislative body as we continue to advance our Families First agenda. Thank you, Helene.
My colleagues, the work we do here is incredibly important. In just a few short years we achieved some truly life-changing victories for the people of
A minimum wage that is moving more people and households toward economic stability and out of poverty;
One of the strongest and most inclusive paid family leave programs in the nation;
Funding and a plan for affordable and supportive housing;
An essential investment in our water infrastructure; and
Historic criminal justice reforms that will treat our adolescents as the young people they are through Raise the Age.
It's truly gratifying to know that we are helping people in very real ways. Recently, I was at a local bakery, and a mother who works a low wage job was talking to her friend about the minimum wage increase and our new paid family leave law. It was heartening to overhear her saying that she finally felt that government was looking out for people like her. This was even more meaningful as she had no idea who I was standing behind her. This is what it sounds like when government works FOR the people whose lives are impacted by our actions.
My first initiative as Speaker was the
When we talk about investing in our future, it is measures like these that translate into real-life progress and opportunity.
As you all know my affinity for Star Trek: logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.
It is unfortunate this sentiment is not shared in
We must push back wherever necessary to protect the interests of our citizens. Among other things,
At a time where
The attacks on
Our agenda will also build on our successes in criminal justice reform last year which included Raise the Age, clearing of sealed records for minor offenses, and a new indigent legal services plan to ensure that everyone has access to quality representation.
Recently, some members and I visited
With one exception, every face I saw was a face of color and it was a stark reminder of the inequities in our criminal justice system. In our state, nearly 37 percent of our residents are black or Latino. In our prison system, 72 percent of the population are black or Latino. I have always believed that the Assembly Majority's promise to fight for comprehensive criminal justice reform is the right thing to do. I feel a renewed sense of commitment. We must get it done.
In the months ahead, we will look to our public protection chairs
Bail reform so that eligible defendants are not caught up in a modern day debtor's prison;
Discovery of evidence and speedy trial reforms so that defendants are treated fairly; and
Ending the overuse of solitary confinement.
I also want to thank the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and
I am heartened that the Governor has heard our call to reform these measures and will be a strong partner to make even more progress this year.
Across the country and here in
The Assembly Majority has long stressed the importance of treatment and prevention and we will continue to do so. Let's address the root causes of drug use and addiction by promoting access to quality education, stable housing and good paying jobs. Mass incarceration is never the answer. We've been down this road before. Let's redouble our efforts to seriously address this scourge in 2018.
I am proud that the Assembly has taken the lead to help victims of child sexual assault get the justice they deserve. Last year we took up and passed the Child Victims Act and it will remain a priority for this House. We will take up this important piece of legislation once again and urge the
Public education remains a top priority here in
With the efforts of our esteemed Education Chair
Here in the People's House, we know of no greater cause than to promote a "sound, basic education" for each of our children. We know that this endeavor cannot occur without adequate investment in our schools, especially those that serve the neediest students. I am proud of the headway we have made on Foundation Aid over the past several years because this funding formula, although not perfect, is an equalizer for opportunity-let's build upon that success.
It is also in this house that we championed
Put simply, we will never allow our hard fought gains in education to be rolled back by a misdirected federal administration.
Children of immigrants are also under attack by
When it comes to keeping New Yorkers moving, we have daunting challenges ahead of us. If we want to remain competitive in an ever-changing world, we must confront our infrastructure needs and make tough decisions to strengthen transit systems throughout the state.
Subways and buses operated by the MTA are the circulatory system of the city of
But we must also be prepared for the long haul. Returning our subways and its infrastructure to a state of good repair, while at the same time evolving to meet ever-changing needs, will require a massive, long term public investment-with some projecting costs in excess of
Of course, a large scale investment in the MTA not only connects New Yorkers to their employment, but for regions beyond the city, the MTA is an important source of employment. From token booths being refurbished in
Over the past three years, I have had the opportunity to travel across the state of
Touring the state and having visited so many of our communities, I have seen firsthand how employment, income and opportunity remain unequal. We must redouble our economic development efforts in order to allow our communities to grow and thrive.
The attacks from
Today there are more than four million New Yorkers enrolled in healthcare programs through the Affordable Care Act. Additionally, Medicaid and the Children's Health Program provide coverage for more than 6.4 million low-income New Yorkers, including seniors, adults, children and individuals with disabilities.
In the Assembly, we are fortunate to have the expertise of our Health Committee Chair
We know that access to childcare is one of the most important issues affecting New Yorkers' ability to remain in the workforce and pursue lasting careers. Yet, every working family in this state has struggled with the challenges of finding quality, affordable childcare for their children. We must make investments to bring much needed benefits for families and the businesses that employ them so that together they can grow and thrive. I want to thank the members of the
I look forward to your continued input and guidance.
Here in
We have not seen the last of extreme weather, only the beginning. With our beautiful waterways, state parks, islands and coastal exposure,
Extreme weather events disrupt and destroy infrastructure, businesses and our communities. That is why under the guidance of Environmental Conservation Committee Chair
My colleagues, there is another very real threat to our safety and that of our loved ones.
This is not normal and it should not be so common.
The list of tragedies and victims grows longer while
In the wake of the horrible shooting in
Today, women suffer 5.3 million incidents of intimate partner violence each year, in addition to their exposure to violence at the hands of strangers. The Assembly has long championed an agenda to end this cycle of abuse and we will not waver in our commitment.
Whether the victim of domestic violence or the target of workplace harassment, brave individuals who have come forward are empowering survivors to heal and reclaim their lives in the first step in righting these wrongs.
It is incumbent on all employers to maintain an environment that is free of sexual harassment. In the Assembly we have a comprehensive sexual harassment policy that is a national model and we continue to look for ways to strengthen it in order to provide a workplace that is safe for our members and staff.
At this time, I ask you to join me in extending a warm welcome to our new intern class of 2018. We have 30 colleges and universities represented in this year's class and we are so excited to have you all here with us this session - including from my own district
On behalf of all the members, I want to thank Assemblymember
Welcome back to our returning faculty members, Dr.
In closing, I know that we have many challenges ahead. The attacks from
Thank you and God bless you all.
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