Tuesday, April 19, 2022
Monday, April 18, 2022
New York State Insider: New York State Attorney General: Statement from Attorney General’s Office in Response to Donald J. Trump’s Attacks.
New York State Insider: Election Desk 2022: Astorino: Gov. Hochul Must Address Secret Flights.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: ASTORINO: I SEE SOMETHING SO I’M SAYING SOMETHING — WHILE GOVERNOR HOCHUL REMAINS SILENT.
23 Suspected Terrorists Indentified at Border Last Year Alone.
New York-Apr. 18…Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino, the former two-term Westchester County Executive, today blasted Governor Kathy Hochul and her administration for remaining silent about secret federal flights packed with illegal immigrants regularly landing at at least one New York airport. Mr. Astorino, who broke this story in August, and who has personally recorded the late-night flights arriving and buses transporting to various locations, said that news of suspected terrorists crossing the U.S. border makes these flights potentially dangerous.
“Whatever happened to ‘if you see something, say something?’” Mr. Astorino asked. “I’ve been pounding the warning drums for months about these flights while Governor Hochul has completely ignored them. How does a governor, whose state was devastated by terrorist attacks, look the other way when we know suspected terrorists are crossing the U.S. border? It’s unconscionable.”
Mr. Astorino’s remarks came on the same day that Fox News announced the results of a Freedom of Information Law request that confirmed that at least 23 individuals on the FBI terror watch list were caught crossing the U.S. southern border in 2021 alone.
“We know suspected terrorists are crossing our southern border, yet we continue to secretly relocate to New York people whose identities are virtually unknown to us,” Mr. Astorino continued. “I know it’s woke to declare New York a ‘Sanctuary State’, but real possible dangers are being ignored in the process, including drugs and gangs, not to mention the cost to hard working taxpayers. It’s time for Governor Hochul to come clean about what’s going on.”
Friday, April 15, 2022
New York State Insider: New York State Attorney General: Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation Opens Investigation Into Civilian Death in Brooklyn.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 14, 2022.
Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation
Opens Investigation Into Civilian Death in Brooklyn.
NEW YORK – The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has opened an investigation into the death of a man who died on April 7, 2022 following an encounter with members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD).
On the evening of April 7, a civilian was standing on Eastern Parkway near Schenectady Avenue in Brooklyn when he was struck by an NYPD vehicle. The civilian was rushed to a local hospital and he was pronounced dead.
Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person, by an act or omission. Under the law, the officer may be on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may be armed or unarmed. Also, the decedent may or may not be in custody or incarcerated. If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.
These are preliminary facts and subject to change.
Thursday, April 14, 2022
New York State Insider: Westchester Lawmakers, Safe Horizon + Survivors of Sexual Abuse to NYS Assembly: "Pass the ASA!"
.png)
News from Safe Horizon: Westchester Lawmakers, Safe Horizon + Survivors of Sexual Abuse to NYS Assembly: "Pass the ASA!"
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Senator Biaggi and Mayer, Assembly Members Paulin, Burdick and Abinanti, push for the legislation that would open a one year look back window for survivors of sex abuse
WHITE PLAINS, NY (04/14/2022) (readMedia)-- Today, in the middle of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the victim assistance organization Safe Horizon joined Senator Mayer and Biaggi, Assembly Members Paulin, Burdick and Abinanti, and survivors of sex abuse including Jaron Benjamin and Donna Hylton, and advocates to rally for the Adult Survivors Act (ASA). The ASA, would provide a one year look back window for any survivor who was sexually abused as an adult (18+) to sue their abuser or negligent institution in civil court, even if the statute of limitations has expired. The ASA would be the next component of the New York State Legislature's historic statute of limitation reform for survivors of sexual violence.
The NYS Senate passed the ASA unanimously last year but the Assembly failed to move it forward. Earlier this spring, the Senate Judiciary and Finance Committees again passed the ASA, sending it to the floor for a full vote. Assemblymember Abinanti sits on the Judiciary Committee, the first stop for the legislation in the Assembly.
WATCH HERE. -https://www.facebook.com/safehorizon
Over 60 Assembly Members co-sponsor the ASA now, including key members of the Judiciary committee. The bill also enjoys the strong support of over 100 survivors, victim service providers and advocates from across New York State.
"Processing trauma takes time. Many survivors of sexual assault need years, or even decades, to process their pain. That means they also need time to come forward and share what has happened to them," said Liz Roberts, the CEO of Safe Horizon, the nation's largest and leading victim's services agency. "That's why the Adult Survivor's Act is so important. It would give survivors who were denied the chance to seek justice in the courts the time they need. I urge Albany to stand with survivors, and pass the Adult Survivor's Act now."
The Child Victims Act, which the ASA is based off of, provided a one year lookback window that was later extended by another year due to the impact of COVID on the courts, created a path to justice for thousands of survivors of child sexual abuse across the state. During those two years, over 10,000 survivors filed cases in New York against their abusers or the institutions that covered up their abuse.
In 2019, along with the CVA, the Legislature additionally passed legislation that prospectively extended the civil and criminal staute of limitation for certain felony sex offenses including rape in the 2nd and 3rd degree. However, the law does not apply retroactively, meaning that certain survivors who were abused prior to 2019, still have only between 1-5 years to file a civil lawsuit.
"Survivors of sexual assault often need years, and sometimes decades, before they are able to speak about their abuse, much less hold their abusers accountable-- and our rule of law must take that into account. We must prioritize a survivor-centered approach by passing the Adult Survivors Act this legislative session. We owe it to adult survivors to provide them with an opportunity to hold their abusers and the institutions that protected them accountable," said Senator Alessandra Biaggi.
"I am pleased to support the Adult Survivors Act, which will provide a path to justice for adult survivors of sexual abuse. Like so many child victims, adult survivors are required to file legal action before they have come to terms with their abuse, leaving so many survivors unable to file charges against abusers who too often live their lives without any accountability. I am pleased the Senate has passed this bill before, and I urge the Assembly to do the same, so we can give survivors a path to closure and accountability. I appreciate the incredibly difficult work of survivors who have been willing to share their pain in order to press for change," said Senator Shelley Mayer.
"Providing a one-year lookback window to survivors of sexual assault who were abused when they were 18 or older will help these victims seek justice," said Assemblywoman Paulin. "This opportunity is especially important in the case of rape and sexual assault because it can take victims significantly more time to report sexual abuse, compared to victims of other crimes. I commend Assemblymember Rosenthal and Senator Hoylman for introducing this bill which gives sexual assault victims the chance to be heard, and start to heal," said Assembly Member Amy Paulin.
"As one of dozens of survivors of sexual assault by former OB/GYN Robert Hadden, I know how it feels to hold a terrible truth and decide to speak it out loud. It takes time. If and when someone chooses to come forward, their pathway to justice should not be time barred or limited to results from a fraught criminal justice system. Survivors deserve an opportunity to be heard in their own time. With the Adult Survivors Act, New York has the opportunity to provide ALL survivors access to justice. Albany lawmaker must prioritize survivors and pass this bill as soon as possible," said Evelyn Yang.
About the ASA
The ASA - (A.648 Rosenthal/S.66 Hoylman) - is the next important step that the New York State legislature must take to reform the State's long-outdated statute of limitations for survivors of sexual violence. Modeled on the Child Victims Act, the ASA would provide a one-year lookback window to survivors who were abused when they were 18 years old or over. If passed, adult survivors would have one year in which to file a civil claim -- no matter how long ago the abuse happened -- even if the statute of limitations has expired.
Recognizing that the constrained time limits in NY's statutes were not in line with what experts understand about trauma, the legislature in 2019 passed the CVA, which has allowed over 10,000 survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file civil lawsuits to date. That same year, the Legislature extended the civil and criminal statute of limitations for several felony offenses -- including extending the civil statute of limitations for Rape in the second and third degrees prospectively up to 20 years. However, the law does not apply retroactively, meaning that certain survivors who were abused prior to 2019, still have only between 1-5 years to file a civil lawsuit.
The ASA applies to Article 130 crimes, including Rape 2 and 3, criminal sex acts, among others and incest offenses in Section 255. Just like the Child Victims Act, the ASA would also waive the 90 day notice of claim requirement to bring a case against a public institution.
The ASA will create new paths to justice for survivors who were denied access to our courts because of an artificially narrow statute of limitations. The bill will give all survivors, including people who were formerly incarcerated, individuals abused by an intimate partner, and disabled survivors, a much needed chance to hold their abusers accountable.
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
New York State Insider: Statement from New York State Senator Shelley Mayer: Report on the Adopted New York State Budget.
Dear Friends,
I am pleased to share that the Senate, Assembly and Governor have completed the FY 2022-2023 New York State Budget. Below is a summary of some of the most significant accomplishments in the budget. As your State Senator, I was proud to fight for - and win - additional investments in education, criminal justice reforms, commitment to making child care more affordable and accessible, expanding full day pre-K for 4 year olds, additional tax breaks as New Yorkers struggle to recover from the pandemic, the opportunity for Empire City Casino in Yonkers to become a full casino, and other significant investments for our community. Like prior budgets, this budget authorized the use of state capital funds for major projects, including funding to partially pay for a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills. I would have liked to see stronger protections for the community, and other stakeholders in the budget language, and greater contribution from the Bills themselves, but unfortunately that was not included in the final agreement. I will continue to push for stronger protections when public funds are appropriated, and far greater transparency in the process.
Continuing a Historic Investment in Education
Foundation Aid: As Chair of the Senate Education Committee, I am pleased to share that we continued to build on last year’s historic investment by appropriating the second year funding of $1.5 billion owed under Foundation Aid, the formula that determines the amount the state pays for every public school. This year, every district will receive approximately 80% or more of the amount owed, or a minimum increase of 3% for every public school district in New York State. By the end of next year’s budget, every district will reach 100% of the amount owed under the Foundation Aid formula.
Full Day Pre-K for 4 Year Olds: We expanded full day Pre-K for 4 year olds across New York State by adding $125 million. More school districts in our community including including Katonah-Lewisboro, Bedford, Eastchester, Bronxville, Harrison, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, Byram Hills, Rye Neck, Rye, Blind-Brook and White Plains will benefit directly from $100 million of this funding. Tuckahoe, Port Chester and Yonkers may be eligible to serve more Pre-K children under the $25 million grant program which prioritizes economically disadvantaged students and may also be used to convert half day programs to full day ones.
In addition, I am proud that the budget provides:
- An 11% tuition increase for special education schools including Special Act School Districts, 853 schools and 4410 preschool providers.
- $12.2 million increase in funding for 4201 schools serving deaf and blind students, $2 million more than Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed budget.
- $50 million in new funding for student mental health services in schools and BOCES and for expansion of summer learning, after-school or extended day and year programs, responding to the needs of students as we recover from COVID closures.
- $1.5 million increase in Adult Literacy Education funding.
- $500 million in funding available to school districts through the Environmental Bond Act for electric school buses and necessary infrastructure to transition to an all-electric fleet by 2035 to protect student health and help achieve our climate goals.
Criminal Justice Reforms
I strongly supported the criminal justice reforms we adopted several years ago, as we sought to make sure our system of justice was not determined by the wealth of an accused person before trial. At the same time, I have heard from, and listened to, my constituents and law enforcement personnel who suggested we needed specific improvements to the laws to deal with legitimate concerns about public safety. I have supported many of these reforms, and am pleased that among other changes, we could accomplish the following:
1) adoption of stronger provisions to ensure that those who are charged with repeated criminal conduct are brought before a judge who will be empowered to order bail or other appropriate options, given the gravity to the offense, to ensure the person charged returns to court;
2) expansion of the list of charges involving guns that can be brought before a judge promptly for pre-trial determinations as opposed to a mandatory desk appearance ticket;
3) enhanced funding and judicial discretion where defendants appear to need mental health treatment at arrest or arraignment; and
4) modified discovery rules to ensure that non-material discovery omissions do not result in automatic dismissal of charges.
As you may know, I have continued to speak and meet with police leadership, police unions, the district attorney’s office, community organizations, public defenders, and criminal justice advocates to help craft a resolution that could be successfully passed and signed into law.
New Downstate Casino Licenses
This budget authorizes three new casino licenses downstate which will generate millions of dollars in taxes to directly support education. I am hopeful that one will go to Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts at Yonkers Raceway to create over 1,200 permanent jobs and thousands of construction jobs for lower Westchester and the Bronx, and provide a major boost to our downstate economy.
Expanding Access to Child Care
This budget will greatly expand eligibility for child care subsidies for thousands of working families across the state. Families earning up to 300% of the Federal Poverty Limit (FPL), which is about $83,250 for a family of four, will now have access to these subsidies, which is an increase from the previous threshold of 200% of the FPL. That means more working parents in Westchester will be able to afford quality child care.
Additionally, reimbursement rates for child care providers will be increased and staff will receive much-needed raises.
Hurricane Ida Relief Fund
Our district was devastated by Hurricane Ida last September and many did not receive sufficient aid to address their losses through insurance or FEMA.
I am proud to announce that our efforts were successful to secure a $41 million fund which will use Federal dollars to help those who are still dealing with Hurricane Ida losses that were not otherwise covered.
Fair Pay for Home Care
Our home care workers are unsung heroes and deserve to be compensated appropriately for the critical work they perform, largely for elderly and disabled New Yorkers. The chronic low wages they receive has led to an industry labor shortage that is unacceptable and the fear that those at home will be forced into nursing homes because they cannot find caregivers.
While I am disappointed we could not do as well as we hoped, I am glad we are beginning to address this in the budget, as we raised the minimum wage for home care workers by $3.00 per hour – $2.00 per hour this year and by an additional $1.00 per hour in the following year. I will continue to fight for even higher wages for these workers, as I believe still more needs to be done to retain and attract these workers and ensure they are paid a living wage. As a proud sponsor of the Fair Pay for Home Care bill, I vow to continue the fight for these workers – and those that they care for.
Tax Breaks
The budget provides an array of tax cuts and new tax benefits to New Yorkers that I strongly support:
Gas Tax Holiday: From June 1 through the end of the year, state motor fuel taxes will be suspended to lower gas prices by approximately $0.16 per gallon.
New STAR Tax Credit:
- The budget creates a one-time refundable personal income tax credit for Tax Year 2022 for homeowners who receive the basic or enhanced STAR exemption or credit and have incomes of $250,000 or less.
- The amount of the credit is a percentage of a homeowner’s existing STAR benefit, with the percentages scaled to provide the largest tax benefit to those with the lowest incomes.
The budget adds a one-time 25% enhancement of the New York State earned income tax credit, providing up to $200 million to low- and middle-income New Yorkers.
The budget speeds up the phase-in of scheduled middle-class tax cuts to give New Yorkers the full benefits of these tax cuts earlier than anticipated.
The budget extends and enhances the hire-a-vet tax credit for three years by increasing the maximum credit for hiring a disabled veteran full-time or part-time.
Creating a tax credit for small businesses COVID-related expenses.
In conclusion, after a tumultuous year in Albany, I am proud we adopted a budget that reflects our commitment to economic recovery, speaks to the needs of our children and families, addresses concerns about public safety and gun crimes, confronts rising prices at the pump, and restores faith in our government and its ability to meet the needs of our communities.
I will continue to listen to – and fight for – all of my constituents, as is my reputation. It is my honor to serve you, and I look forward to briefing all of the communities I serve on the budget, and the work ahead.
|
|
|
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
New York State Insider: STATEMENT FROM NYS CONSERVATIVE PARTY.
STATEMENT ON SHOOTING AT 345 PARK AVENUE: NEW YORK STATE CONSERVATIVE PARTY CHAIRMAN GERARD KASSAR. “The New York State Conservative P...
-
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 18, 2025 Statement on End of State Legislative Session from New York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard K... -
Statement from New York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar on Passage of the 'Big Beautiful Bill’ “The New York State Conse... -
NEW YORK STATE CONSERVATIVE PARTY DEMANDS END OF TAX-EXEMPT STATUS FOR SANCTUARY GROUPS PROMOTING ILLEGALITY Brooklyn, NY — The New York S...