New York State Insider: Statement from New York State Assemblyman Tom Abinanti: Elections 2022.

 

PRIMARY RESULTS           The Westchester Board of Elections has certified the June 28 primary election results.  Despite our strong re-election effort, we were not successful. While we won 70 of 127 election districts, the turnout in those districts was very low and the other 56 districts produced more votes for my opponent.   GRATITUDE           Thank you to all who participated in the June 28 primary election. Democracy depends on voters exercising their right to vote.           A special thank you to all who worked on my behalf. We can be proud that we ran a positive campaign on my record of delivering for the 92nd District and for New York.                    I thank the people of the 92nd District for giving me the opportunity to represent them in Albany for 12 years. I look forward to continuing to work for them and the people of New York for the remainder of the year.          OUTRAGE           One further note, I am disappointed and outraged by the coordinated effort in campaign literature and social media to use innuendo, half-truths and outright lies to malign me personally and attempt to destroy my reputation built over 40 years of community service.            Especially egregious was the attempt to portray me as anti-woman and unsympathetic to female victims. Those who know me will say just the opposite. My long record shows the contrary. I was a founding board member and pro bono attorney for the Westchester Coalition for Legal Abortion (before New York was a pro-choice state), an outspoken advocate for the Survivors Act and a supporter of every legislative initiative to ensure women’s equality and assist victims.           Our nation is besieged by viral disinformation campaigns. It's disheartening to see the same tactics used locally by Democrats. Democrats must live up to a higher standard and call out those who damage our democracy by using those despicable tactics.           The vicious attacks on me and my reputation are unforgivable. Those who perpetrated them should be ashamed.

New York State Insider: New York State Assemblyman Tom Abinanti 92nd District.

 

New Handgun License Standards    To Decrease Gun Violence

In response to the dangerous and disturbing decision by the United States Supreme Court attempting to dismantle New York’s 100+ year-old sensible “concealed carry” gun law, we in the Legislature passes and the Governor signed an omnibus bill to insure that handguns are only in “safe” hands and to ban all guns from “sensitive” places. This new law supplements the 10 new laws we passed at the end of the regular session to decrease gun violence.           This new law puts the state – not the counties – in control of the standards for gun permits and adds the requirement that applicants pass a firearm training course – a requirement that I long-ago got enacted for Westchester  The new law shortens the re-certification period to 3 years, tightens controls on the sale of “body armor” and bullets, and makes numerous technical changes to accomplish the law’s purposes.

New York State Insider: New York State Assemblyman Tom Abinanti 92nd District.

 

Equality Amendment

In response to the truly reactionary decision by the United States Supreme Court in overturning Roe v.Wade, we in the Legislature passed the Equality Amendment to the New York State Constitution that would give Constitutional protection for the right to an abortion and against discrimination based on disability and sex.        To become effective, this Amendment  must be passed again     next year by the Legislature and then by a majority of New York voters in a general election.        Here is the language that we passed.

§ 11. a. No person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws of this state or any subdivision thereof. No person shall, because of race, color, ethnicity,  national  origin, age, disability, creed [or], religion, or sex, including  sexual  orientation,  gender  identity,  gender expression,  pregnancy,  pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy, be subjected to any discrimination in [his or  her]  their civil rights by any other person or by any firm, corporation, or institution, or by the state or any  agency  or  subdivision  of  the  state, pursuant to law.

New York State Insider: New York State Assemblyman Tom Abinanti 92nd District.

 

SPECIAL SESSION

After the disastrous rulings of the United States Supreme Court in June overturning the 50-year-old landmark Roe v.Wade  decision and then striking down parts of New York’s  “concealed carry” gun law, we in the New York Legislature met in Special Session – four weeks after the conclusion of our regular session – to protect New Yorkers.         First, we gave first passage to the proposed “Equality Amendment” to the New York Constitution to protect the right to abortion and prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability and sex,        Second we passed a new law strengthening the standards for “concealed carry” of handguns.

New York State Insider: New York State Senator Pete Harckham: Join us this Saturday and get involved!

With roughly 100 days to go, there is no better time to get involved. Join us this Saturday to knock doors in one of two locations. We'll have training, palm cards, and lists ready to go. Email us at reelectharckham@gmail.com to RSVP or get more information.

https://act.myngp.com/Forms/7662455211617683200?midqs=G36TZGqziK14szycjjCCAA==

New York State Insider: New York State Senator Shelley Mayer.

 

Meeting with the Harrison Public Library Director Galina Chernykh

and President of the Library Board of Trustees Shauna Long.

New York State Insider: New York State Senator Shelley Mayer.

I had a great discussion with Bedford Town Supervisor Ellen Calves and Assemblymember Chris Burdick (the former town supervisor) about the capital needs of the community.

New York State Insider: New York State Senator Shelley Mayer.

I was proud to co-sponsor a Free Community Naloxone Training with Senator Pete Harckham and Westchester County Legislator Erika Pierce.

The strong attendance spoke to the need for the presentation that will undoubtedly save lives in the future.

New York State Insider: New York State Senator Shelley Mayer.

Great meeting with the new director of the very busy Rye YMCA, Sabrina Murphy! Glad to see they have built back so strongly after Hurricane Ida.

New York State Insider: Call For Empire Award Nominations.

 

I am currently seeking nominations for New York State Empire Awards. This award honors small businesses and nonprofit organizations that make outstanding contributions to the growth, prosperity and betterment of their community and New York State. 

Our district is fortunate to have many small businesses and nonprofits that enrich our lives and create connections in our community – whether they provide food, culture, a place to gather, or through direct assistance to people in need. To submit a nomination, visit bit.ly/SD37EmpireAward. Businesses and nonprofits must be located in Senate District 37 to be considered. The deadline to nominate is Friday, August 19.

I hope you’ll consider nominating a business or nonprofit that has made a difference in your life or your community!

New York State Insider: New York State Senator Shelley Mayer: Legislative Update: Bill to Stop Human Trafficking Signed Into Law.

 

On July 20, Governor Kathy Hochul signed a package of legislation to provide support and resources to protect victims of human trafficking in New York State, including a bill that I sponsored with Assemblymember Amy Paulin to require hotel, motel and other lodging facility employees to be trained on how to identify human trafficking. 

These employees can play a critical role in spotting and stopping human trafficking if they receive the proper training. Under this law, they will be trained on the nature of human trafficking, how human trafficking is defined by law, how to identify human trafficking victims, relief and recovery options for survivors, and social and legal services available to victims within their first 60 days of employment.

New York State Insider: New York State Senator Shelley Mayer: $350,000 Secured for Latino U College Access.

Navigating the college application process can be difficult and intimidating. Since it was founded in 2012, Latino U College Access (LUCA) has empowered first-generation Latino youth on their path to college and graduation through individualized mentorship and culturally relevant, bilingual programming focused on preparing for college in high school, choosing and applying for college, and financing higher education. 

On Wednesday, I was thrilled to highlight $350,000 secured in the New York State Budget for LUCA with Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assemblymembers Amy Paulin and Chris Burdick, and our colleagues in the legislature. The funding will be used to increase services in White Plains, Ossining, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown and Elmsford, and to expand services to Port Chester, New Rochelle, Peekskill, Bedford and Mount Kisco – making higher education more accessible to the students of our district and Westchester County!

New York State Insider: Statement from New York State Senator Shelley Mayer.

 

Dear Friends, I hope you are all finding ways to keep cool during this heat wave! Remember to stay hydrated and be sure to check on elderly neighbors and pets. To find a cooling center near you, visit the NYS Department of Health website - https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/weather/cooling/  This week, I was pleased to share that one of my sponsored bills, related to preventing human trafficking, was signed into law and to highlight $350,000 in funding for Latino U College Access with my colleagues in the legislature. More information on those announcements is available below.  Next week, my Youth Advisory Council will hold its second cleanup day in Yonkers. Also, the NYS Department of Labor will hold a Hudson Valley Regional Virtual Career Fair. More information about both of these events is available below. My thoughts are with the family and friends of Rochester Police Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz who was killed in the line of duty on Thursday, and Officer Sino Seng as he recovers from his injuries. As always, if there is anything my office can assist you with, please email me at smayer@nysenate.gov or call (914) 934-5250. Warm regards,

Shelley B. Mayer State Senator 37th District

New York State Insider: Chairman Gerard Kassar and the Officers & Members of the NYS Conservative Party Are Mourning the Loss of their Longtime State Chairman, Michael R. Long.

 

For Immediate Release: July 24, 2022.

 

Chairman Gerard Kassar and the Officers & Members of the NYS Conservative Party Are Mourning the Loss of their Longtime State Chairman, Michael R. Long.

 

Brooklyn, NY -- The New York State Conservative Party is mourning the passing of its longtime State Chairman, Michael R. Long. Long’s Storied Career in Politics and the Conservative Movement spanned almost sixty years.

Mike, a proud Marine, went to a Madison Square Garden Rally for Barry Goldwater, and the rest is history. Realizing how effective one man can be, his extensive career of service began by volunteering for Goldwater’s campaign, thus began his lengthy career in his hometown of Brooklyn. His reputation as an honest broker expanded throughout New York State and nationally regarding countless issues and elections.

Long’s political career began in 1968 as a District Leader and quickly rose to Chairman of the Kings County Conservative Party in 1972. In 1974, Mike Long was elected by his colleagues as a State Vice-Chairman and in 1984 as the Executive Vice-Chairman. In 1988, Michael R. Long was elected to the position of State Chairman of the Party where he served until, he retired in February 2019, the longest serving State Chairman in the Party’s history.

Mike served as Chairman of Community School Board 19 in East New York; in 1981, Long became the first registered Conservative to serve on the NYC Council. Mike served as a board member of the American Conservative Union for 27 years and in 2010 the ACU foundation presented him with “The Charlton Heston Courage Under Fire Award.” Long was a member of the Board of Directors of the Cathedral Club of Brooklyn, he also served as Secretary on the Board of Trustees for Daytop Village, Inc. and was Chairman of Daytop International, as well as the past Chairman of the Board of Directors of Holy Angels Academy in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, to name just of few of the varied ways Mike Long served his community. Mike Long, was proud of his Irish Heritage and genuinely enjoyed being honored as Grand Marshal of the Bay Ridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Mike Long engaged in numerous campaigns through the years; among the more notable are the elections of former Senator James L. Buckley (running only on the Conservative Party line), Senator Al D’Amato, Ronald Reagan (In 1980 and again in 1984, Mike Long was proud to cast his vote for President Ronald Reagan in New York’s Electoral College) and under his leadership the Conservative Party provided the margin of victory for the historic election of Republican/Conservative Governor George Pataki and Attorney General Dennis Vacco. 

Mike’s work in the Pro-Life movement is renowned; and received several awards for his dedication, including the Knights of Columbus Pro Patria Award, and in 2009, Mr. Long was honored as a Knight in the Order of St. Gregory the Great. 

Numerous candidates, political leaders and those simply interested in the future of America, their state and/or local community benefited from his heartfelt, forthright advice.

“The loss of Mike Long is immeasurable. We have lost a good man, a close friend, mentor and outstanding political leader; a void for me and many has been created that cannot be filled,” said State Chairman Gerard Kassar. “The countless number of people who learned from Mike can today be found throughout the political world and will act as his legacy for many years to come.”

“Mike’s leadership is legendary; if you had differences on any subject, it was never combative, it was discussed. Mike had a natural ability to lead you to his understanding of the issue, which is why he was such an effective leader,” said Shaun Marie Levine, the Party’s Executive Director. “Diogenes, a complex persona known for his searching for an honest man, would have found his honest man had he met Michael R. Long. Throughout his life, Mike certainly lived up to the Marine’s motto, Semper Fi. To say Mike will be sorely missed is an understatement; his dedication to making lives better is a loss when needed most.”

The Long brothers, Mike and Thomas, were, for many years, the proprietors of Long’s Ice Cream Parlor in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn; and eventually they purchased Long’s Liquor store in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. 

Mike and his beloved wife, Eileen, celebrated their 59^th anniversary in May and are the proud parents of nine children, twenty-five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. 

New York State Insider: New York State Senator Pete Harckham: On the Frontlines of Saving Lives.

 

Dear Friend:

 

This past week I toured a number of treatment, recovery and harm reduction centers for residents with Substance Use Disorder in upstate and western New York.

 

As chair of the Senate Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, it is important that I listen to the folks who are on the ground providing services.

 

 

Thank you!

 

Sincerely,

Pete

New York State Insider: STATEMENT FROM NEW YORK STATE CONSERVATIVE PARTY CHAIRMAN GERARD KASSAR ON RELEASE OF ZELDIN ASSAILANT.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 22, 2022.

 

 

 

STATEMENT FROM NEW YORK STATE CONSERVATIVE PARTY CHAIRMAN GERARD KASSAR ON RELEASE OF ZELDIN ASSAILANT.

 

 

Brooklyn, NY - “Only in New York can someone attack a sitting congressman with a weapon and be back out on the street within hours. 

 

“But that’s the state we live in under Governor Kathy Hochul and reckless, one-party Democrat rule. 

 

“Congressman Lee Zeldin, the Republican-Conservative candidate for governor and a Lt. Colonel in the Army Reserves, was making that exact point at the Monroe County rally Thursday evening when he was attacked by a man carrying a potentially deadly device. Thank God that the congressman and his running mate, former NYPD Deputy Inspector Alison Esposito, had the training and wherewithal to quickly take the man down. 

 

“It’s yet to be seen if the assailant was directed to the event by Gov. Hochul herself — her campaign issued an angry, hyperbolic dummy news advisory to steer protesters to the Zeldin rally — but it is our hope that she will use better judgment in the future. This state is volatile enough without its governor ginning up fury.”  

 

New York State Insider: New York State Senator Shelley Mayer.

 

Visited Mt. Misery in North Castle with area leaders, including Assemblymember Chris Burdick, Tom Rice and Nora Manuele, representatives of the North Castle Historical Society, and Constance Kehoe of RW250th, to see a historical site that needs to be in the public’s hands!

New York State Insider: New York State Senator Shelley Mayer.

 

Great to meet with the small business women of Port Chester last weekend who gathered at St. Paul’s Church to sell clothes, accessories, sweets, handmade honey, and more. They’ll be there again Sunday, July 17 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

New York State Insider: New York State Senator Shelley Mayer.

 

As a Commissioner of the Education Commission of the States, I attended the National Forum on Educational Policy in Washington, DC. I learned some of the best practices of other states as students recover from the pandemic with in-person learning.

New York State Insider: New York State Senator Shelley Mayer.

I had a terrific time at the White Plains’ Slater Center’s Community Day Festival! I was impressed by Music with a Message’s work and positive energy! And honored to stand with the Westchester-Rockland Guardian’s Association.

New York State Insider: Statement from New York State Senator Shelley Mayer.

Honored to spend the afternoon with Holocaust survivors at Young Israel of White Plains. We must remember their stories and ensure the next generation remembers them as well. Thank you to WJCS, UJA-Federation of New York, and Claims Conference (Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany) for organizing this special event.

New York State Insider: Statement from New York State Senator Shelley Mayer.

Always a pleasure to join the Family Service Society of Yonkers for Summer Reading Buddies. Marlene was a fantastic partner!

New York State Insider: New York State Senator Shelley Mayer: Free Community Naloxone Training.

 

New York State Insider: New York State Senator Shelley Mayer: Upcoming Mobile Office Hours: Visit Our Constituent Services Staff in Yonkers.

 

Wednesday, July 20 

Noon - 3 p.m. 

Grinton I. Will Library

1500 Central Park Avenue,

Yonkers, NY 10710

My constituent services staff will be located at the front entrance under the overhang – ready to answer questions in both answer questions in English and Spanish. All are welcome to stop by. 

For more information, call (914) 934-5250 or email smayer@nysenate.gov.

New York State Insider: Statement from New York State Senator Shelley Mayer.

 

Dear Friends, These past several weeks have been eventful in New York State as a result of two significant Supreme Court cases. On June 30, the Senate and Assembly returned to Albany for an Extraordinary Session called by Governor Kathy Hochul to address the Supreme Court decisions in NYS Rifle & Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen and Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. I regard both as terribly disappointing decisions, with very serious impact for all Americans, including New Yorkers. I remain committed to addressing both the impact of gun violence on our state, and the need to protect the right to abortion.  The Bruen decision struck down New York’s 100+ years old concealed carry law, which restricted carrying a gun outside of a residence only to those with “proper cause.” In the wake of the terrible murders in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas, I believe we must continue to do everything in our power to limit access to the most dangerous guns. On July 1, we passed a bill, now signed by the Governor, which addressed the Bruen decision. The new law 1) enhances licensing requirements for concealed carry permit applicants; 2) enumerates a list of sensitive locations where even people with licenses cannot carry a firearm, including public areas such as trains, buses and subways; 3) protects private property rights by requiring owners to “opt in” to allowing weapons on their property; 4) applies safe storage requirements if a minor under the age of 18 lives in the home; and 5) makes technical changes to the Body Armor Law. It also establishes New York as a “point of contact” state, which requires gun dealers to contact the State Police to conduct the background check that must be done before an individual can purchase a gun. We are confident these provisions are in accordance with the Supreme Court’s ruling and provide New Yorkers the greatest protection possible given the circumstances. We anticipate that the law will be challenged, but believe it will withstand constitutional scrutiny. The Legislature passed a series of strong measures after the leaked opinion in the Dobbs case. However, once the decision was issued striking down Roe v. Wade, it was clear we had to do even more to protect abortion and reproductive rights in New York State. To ensure these rights are protected not only in New York law, but in the New York State Constitution, we passed the Equal Rights Amendment during the Extraordinary Session. I was proud to co-sponsor the Amendment, which would modify the New York State Constitution to expressly prohibit discrimination based on “race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, creed, religion or sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy.” (The State Constitution already bans discrimination based on religion.) This new amendment will need to be adopted again in the next legislative session before it is considered by voters. Notwithstanding this intense legislative activity, I continue to be active here at home throughout the district and am here to serve you. If there is anything my office can assist you with, please email me at smayer@nysenate.gov or call (914) 934-5250. Warm regards,

Shelley B. Mayer State Senator 37th District 

New York State Insider: New York State Attorney General: Attorney General James Releases Statement on the Passing of the Honorable Al Vann.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 15, 2022.

Attorney General James Releases Statement
on the Passing of the Honorable Al Vann.

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James released the following statement on the passing of former Assemblymember and Council Member, Al Vann:

“After a lifetime of leadership, mentorship, and principle, the honorable Al Vann passed away peacefully last night. While much more will be said about the life and legacy of Al Vann, it is safe to say that Brooklyn and all of New York lost a friend, a leader, and a legend. May he rest in peace and in power.”

Information about a memorial service will be forthcoming.