I will seek re-election to the New York State Assembly. I have been privileged to serve the people of Greenburgh and Mount Pleasant. I have gotten a lot done for them and the people of the State of New York. I look forward to continuing to use my experience and expertise to get a lot more done on their behalf.
Legislative Record
To date, I have passed 58 bills that became law – most of them since Democrats took control of both houses. I look forward to passing many more of the 150 bills I am still sponsoring.
People with Disabilities
Early in 2021, I was named the first chair of a new Committee on People with Disabilities. I have worked every day since charting a course for this new Assembly Committee. I am reaching out to people across the State with developmental, intellectual and physical disabilities, each of whom presents a distinctly different challenge. I held a statewide public hearing to learn more about their needs and develop strategies to help.
Of course, being a practicing attorney and the parent of a child with autism, I had some understanding of the issues and some expertise in navigating the complex disability field. Still, I have learned so much more and I am fashioning a statewide network that is starting to work together.
The Pro-choice Challenge
I have been and will continue to be an outspoken advocate for women’s reproductive freedom.
As former pro-bono attorney (18 years) for the Westchester Coalition for Legal Abortion, I developed a special understanding of the challenges that women face in seeking counseling and/or an abortion when confronted by hostile protesters and an unhelpful legal system So, I co-sponsored New York’s “Reproductive Health Act” that enacted the Roe v. Wade protections into New York law – particularly important since the US Supreme Court appears poised to subvert those rights on a national level.
I was alarmed by the brazen invasion of the White Plains women’s health care facility by anti-abortion terrorists who harassed its patients last weekend. New York law already protects access to such healthcare facilities and now I will press even harder for my bill to strengthen those protections (A3902).
Climate Change
“Think globaIly and act locally.” New York can’t solve the global crisis but we can be part of the solution – and now that Democrats control both legislative houses, we are making significant progress. I have been a sponsor of numerous measures to protect our environment and combat climate change, including the newly voter-approved constitutional amendment to ensure a healthful environment.
I am working on a voluminous bill to establish a new State agency to protect clean drinking water – a charge not given to any existing state entity.
Gun Violence
I have been a sponsor of numerous new laws designed to reduce gun violence. The governor signed one of my bills last year and I have several more ready to move – especially important since the US Supreme Court appears poised to strike down one of New York’s most significant gun regulations.
Food Insecurity
Last year, I passed a law to address widespread food insecurity – temporarily requiring supermarkets to set aside their “excess food” for community food banks. This year, I passed another bill to make the requirement permanent and I am lobbying the governor to sign the bill.
Property Taxes
Local property taxes are way too high so I have pursued non-property tax alternative revenue sources for our towns, villages and school districts. I passed special legislation for Greenburgh and Mount Pleasant and our villages to give them a new revenue stream (hotel occupancy tax). I voted for other legislation to provide various other revenue sources. All of these have assisted our county and local governments to cut local property taxes. I voted to provide a property tax rebate through a “circuit breaker.” I sponsored a new law which creates a commission to study our property tax system which currently allows tax exemptions for too many businesses masquerading as “non-profits,” thus shifting property tax burdens to homeowners.
Judiciary Committee.
With my experience as a practicing attorney, I was appointed to the Judiciary Committee when a spot opened a couple of years ago. In addition to its normal workload, the committee was charged with investigating whether there were grounds to impeach then-Governor Andrew Cuomo – and to issue a report after he resigned. We worked with outside counsel on evidence comprising some 600,000 pages of documents including testimony from some 200 witnesses.
The Pandemic
The past 20 months have been especially busy for me and my staff. In addition to usual legislative activity, my staff and I responded to the pandemic-related needs of so many of our neighbors. Some needed help accessing unemployment benefits, covid-testing and vaccinations. Others needed help dealing with nursing homes, group homes and schools. And there is no letup in sight.
During the legislative session, I worked with my colleagues in the Assembly and Senate to pass special aid for tenants, businesses and excluded workers and to enact special provisions to make vaccines easily accessible, allow local governments to meet remotely and ensure that voting takes place safely.