Assembly Will Barclay

New York State is home to nearly 900,000 veterans. They are our neighbors, our family, and our friends. There are many organizations that proudly assist our veterans as a way to thank them for their service and show gratitude for their many sacrifices. One such agency is the Disabled American Veterans Transportation Network.

Providing our youth with the opportunity for a strong education is one of the most important jobs of our government. Unfortunately, the education system has had its fair share of challenges recently both in terms of funding and from policies stemming from federal and state laws. First among the challenges was the implementation of the Common Core. Common Core is a set of academic standards mandated on school districts by the State Board of Regents.

February is American Heart Month. To help recognize the importance of heart health, the Assembly passed two resolutions this month, one for those who are born with heart defects and one for those who later develop heart disease.

Nuclear generation is a big part of who we are in Oswego County – so much so it is on our county seal. Ever since Entergy announced in November that it will not refuel the FitzPatrick Nuclear power plant in 2016 and will decommission the unit, our community has been devastated. If the plant closes, we will lose a major employer and economic engine for our region.

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heroin deaths have quadrupled between 2002 and 2013, surpassing traffic accidents as the leading cause of accidental deaths. The increase in drug use and addiction has affected every demographic, race and age group in the nation. My colleagues and I recently held a series of hearings across the state to gather input from local officials, health care providers, parents of addicted children, and individuals addicted to heroin.

While some brows furrow at the sight of snow, others who love winter sports like ice fishing, snowmobiling, sledding, ice skating and skiing are eager to get out and enjoy the winter weather. I am among those who enjoy our four seasons and I like to ski, snowmobile and ice fish when I have the time.

Last week, Governor Cuomo delivered his State of the State address which, contrary to protocol, he combined with his 2016-17 budget address. The speech lasted nearly two hours and set forth the Governor’s priorities for the 2016 legislative session. The following are some of the highlights of his speech.

The 2016 legislative session is under way in Albany. In years past, session usually began with the governor delivering his State of the State Address, which traditionally is followed, a few weeks later, by his budget address. The governor, in a departure from protocol, has again this year decided to combine his State of the State Address with his budget address.

It was recently reported that agricultural receipts in New York came in at $6.36 billion in 2014, a $1.7 billion increase over 2010 and a $667 million increase over 2013. According to the United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Services, New York is home to 36,000 farms and roughly 7 million acres are dedicated to farming. Our agriculture industry is not only profitable but it is incredibly diverse.