The 2016 state legislative session ended in the early morning hours of June 18 after a long week of debate and votes on hundreds of bills. Notwithstanding the broken legislative process, the Legislature and the Governor were able to come to agreement on several pieces of key legislation that will benefit New York.
The warm weather is finally here and with that comes the opportunity to visit our state beaches, historic sites and parks. This year in the 2016-17 enacted state budget we continued our investment in New York’s parks and historic sites. Over the past several years, the state has invested millions back into the state park system to preserve, make repairs, and enhance amenities to drive visitors back to our parks.
On your mark, get set, READ! This is the theme this year for the New York State 2016 Summer Reading Challenge. Each year, I sponsor a summer reading challenge for children of all ages. Kids are challenged to read or be read to for just 15 minutes a day for at least 40 days during the months of July and August.
Last week, New York state extended to all veterans who are members of the New York State retirement system the ability to purchase military service credit. I am honored to have been one of the many members in the State Legislature who sponsored and supported the bill.
New statistics from the State Department of Health show heroin and opioid-related deaths have increased 47% in New York over a five-year period, from 2010-2014. These increases are evident in CNY. Tragically, in comparison to 10 years ago, data shows there’s been a tremendous increase in heroin and opioid related deaths in Jefferson, Oswego and Onondaga counties. For example, Oswego County reported there were no deaths related to heroin or opioids in 2004 but in 2014 there were 13.
In 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote the poem, “Defense of Fort McHenry.” The poem was later put to song and retitled “The Star Spangled Banner.” Our anthem is proudly played often at sporting events, community gatherings, and at schools throughout our country. During Memorial Day our national anthem will be heard near and far as communities gather for parades and graveside tributes.
In November of 2009, Helen Buchel and her daughter, Brittany Passalacqua, a 12-year-old girl, were brutally murdered in Geneva, NY. Helen and Brittany were killed by John Edward Brown, a violent felon whose criminal history included a conviction for assaulting his infant daughter in 2003. According to Helen’s mother, Dale Driscoll, Helen was unaware of Brown’s violent past when she became involved with him.
Our state government provides millions of dollars in funding for various agencies and infrastructure. However, it’s often the smaller investments in local programs and individuals that people notice and appreciate. Grants of less than $5,000, for example, can make a significant impact on the quality of life for residents and provide a sense of connectedness for communities through special events, music series, and public art workshops.
Flint, Michigan, has been in the news lately because dangerously high lead levels were discovered in its drinking water. Sadly, it looks as though Flint’s contaminated water could have been prevented with better oversight and management at all levels of government, but the issue cast a light on our drinking water – one of our most valuable natural resources.
In recent weeks, pinwheels have been placed in lawns around the state that are meant to serve as a reminder that child abuse is real and that more can be done to protect children. According to child protective services agencies, approximately 702,000 children in the United States were victims of child abuse or neglect in 2014 and thousands more cases go unreported.
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