ASSEMBLYMEMBER PATRICIA FAHY’S STATEMENT ON END-OF-SESSION PRIORITIES
“For the first time in a decade, Democratic control of the state legislature has led to the extraordinary passage of long-stalled, history making reforms, and other landmark pieces of legislation I am particularly proud of:
§ The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act will usher in a necessary transition to clean energy and give rise to profitable new industries in Upstate New York. With climate legislation finally passed, the state must now seriously act to aggressively build an energy, weatherization, and transportation portfolio to meet our ambitious climate goals.
§ Landmark public health legislation will prevent harmful chemicals from needlessly entering our water, raise the smoking age to 21years old statewide, establish rights for adoptees when they turn 18, stem new outbreaks of infectious diseases, and vigorously combat the growing opioid epidemic.
§ Far-reaching legal protections and regulations to protect tenants will keep families stable and keep our Upstate communities affordable.
§ Groundbreaking criminal justice reforms for full decriminalization of marijuana and automatic review for expungement and sealing of records to begin to undo the impact of historically discriminatory laws that have lead to decades of disparity in wrongful arrest rates in our communities of color.
§ We’ve made it significantly easier for New Yorkers to vote — and vote early.
§ Micro-mobility in the form of legalized electric bikes and scooters will soon become a transportation reality and help connect more people to jobs and fuel Upstate tourism.
§ We passed long-awaited reforms to New York’s workplace and sexual harassment laws, and made it more difficult for employers to discriminate in pay based on gender — reaffirming the state’s commitment to ‘equal pay for equal work’.
I’m proud to be a member of an Assembly Majority that takes bold, innovative and forward-thinking action on major issues facing our state.
Personally, I’m pleased to have passed a number of pieces of legislation I’ve sponsored to build on the success of the Capital Region. My bill to expand the availability of the Master’s in Teaching Scholarship Program will help curb the teacher shortage in our state and make teaching a realistic career choice for more New Yorkers. Legislation I’ve passed to enhance the state’s electric vehicle infrastructure and protect homeowner’s rights to install charging stations will clear the way for a clean transportation future. I’m exceptionally proud to have passed a bill to create a robust long-term plan to enhance New York’s network of multi-use trails, a major economic driver for Upstate.
There is more work to be done, however. Movement is needed to aid small businesses in our state and to reduce the property tax burden on homeowners. The legislative session sets a new course for a fairer, healthier, more livable New York and I will continue to be a strong independent voice on the issues facing the Capital Region and Upstate New York. ”
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