Friday Morning Brief Sept 15, 2023

Sep 14

Member Spotlight: Senator Joseph Addabbo, Jr.

For today's Member Highlight, Senator Joseph Addabbo, Jr. joined us to talk about himself, his district and his experiences during this year's legislative session. First elected in 2008, Senator Addabbo has worked on various issues throughout his career, such as increasing voter access as the Chair of the Senate Elections Committee. He now serves as the Chair of the Senate Racing, Wagering and Gaming Committee and is a member of various other committees, such as Budget & Revenue, Rules and Education.

What district do you represent? Can you describe it for those that have never been there?
I represent the 15 th Senatorial District, a portion of southern Queens County, which roughly includes as its boundaries the Van Wyck Expressway to the East, the Brooklyn border to the West, the area of Lindenwood (a part of Howard Beach)/South Conduit Avenue to the South and the Long Island Expressway to the North.

What do you like the most about your district?
Its diversity. The various ethnic backgrounds of my working class constituents, allows me to address the unique issues existing in different parts of my district. As Queens is the most diverse county in the world, that is no less evident than in my district. I find it helpful to be extremely familiar with the district, since I have represented it in the NYC Council (2002-2008) and in the Senate (2009-present).

What was your career before becoming a legislator?
Before being elected to the NYC Council in 2001, I enjoyed my time briefly working as an Accountant out of college and from 1993 to 2000 as an Attorney.

Why did you get into politics/What made you want to be a legislator?
I believe what inspired me to become an elected official was my father, Joseph P. Addabbo, Sr. Being the only sibling in the family to be born while my dad was in the U.S. Congress, my earliest memories of him was helping others and the immense satisfaction he got from it. After law school, I wanted to have that similar opportunity and satisfaction of helping others and working on legislation.

What is your favorite part of being a legislator?
My favorite part is certainly assisting others, both in the district and statewide, by either working with my District Office team or my Albany Office team. For my office team and I to have the opportunity each day to of help others.

What are/is your greatest/proudest legislative achievement(s) this year?
Passing bills, which await the Governor’s approval, that were a direct response to my constituent’s requests, such as requiring a cover on debris transported by rail, having schools acknowledge the holiday of Diwali and including funding in the budget to eliminate the toll for Queens residents on the CrossBay Memorial Bridge, as well as working as Chair of the Senate Racing, Wagering and Gaming Committee to create thousands of union jobs and provide millions in economic benefits by advancing the redevelopment of Belmont Racetrack.

Any favorite priority/issue throughout your legislative career?
After being elected to the Senate in 2008, my first Chair appointment was the Senate Elections Committee and I enjoyed the opportunity to increase voter accessibility and improve the voting process. In 2019, I became Chair of the Racing Gaming and Wagering Committee and have been proud of the work my legislative team and I have done in carefully expanding gaming in New York, while creating thousands of union jobs, raising billions in funding for our schools and addressing the problem gambling issue.

What was the most challenging piece of legislation/policy that you worked on this year?
With so many moving parts to negotiating the rebuilding of Belmont Racetrack and the related prospect of improving the horse racing industry and increasing the economic development of that area, I believe the final result will benefit the State and its residents for generations to come.

As Racing/Wagering chair, what do you see happening in the gaming landscape next year?
In 2024, I will certainly look forward to working with my colleagues and the Governors administration on advancing the 3 downstate gaming license process and exploring the inclusion of i-gaming/i-lottery in the budget.

What is your office going to focus on for the fall and winter?
Every Fall until the end of the year, my legislative team and I prepare to prioritize the bills I would be working on during the upcoming session. We examine the history of support and opposition for such bills in determining their likelihood to move forward starting in January.

What are your priorities/goals for next year?
As for my committee, igaming/ilottery will certainly be a priority. Advance bills that would aid disabled veterans with their property taxes and eliminate the financial burden for women with regards to prenatal vitamins. Also examining ways to credibly address the migrant/asylum seeker crisis, illegal pot shops and unregistered scooters.

What advice would you give to young folks getting into politics?
My advice has always been for an individual to get active in the community. Create a solid foundation of local involvement to build upon.

What do you like to do in your free time?
I wish I had something exciting to answer with like mountain climbing or hang gliding, but I spend as much free time as possible with my family. Even if it means roaming a shopping mall or being the manicure/pedicure driver for my daughters.

Any last comments do you want to mention?
I am just grateful to be an elected official and experience the same satisfaction my father did when helping others either in the district or throughout the state.

Are you a public official or staffer that would like to be featured in our spotlight? If so, reach out to your favorite D&A team member or contact us at team@dickinsonavella.com to set up an interview!

EXECUTIVE UPDATES

Last week, Hochul announced the selection of two private companies, ADL Ventures and SecondMuse, to advance climate tech innovation and manufacturing in the state. ADL Ventures will administer the $8.5 million ClimateTech Growth Platform, while SecondMuse will administer the $3.7 Manufacturing Corps, which will support entrepreneurs and startups to connect with resources, supply chain partners, and manufacturers in communities statewide, especially in disadvantaged communities. This announcement builds upon the CLCPA goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85% by 2050 and alleviate disadvantaged communities from the effects of climate change.

Additionally, to support the CLCPA goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 85% by 2050 and alleviating disadvantaged communities from the effects of climate change, Hochul announced a $20 million State Energy Financing Fund for decarbonizing projects with a focus on reducing emissions in buildings. Under this new program, NYSERDA will direct credit and capital support to decarbonization projects working with or planning to apply to the U.S. Department of Energy Loan Programs Office Title 17 Clean Energy Financing Program’s Section 1703. Eligible projects must also be designed to maintain or reduce customer energy bills, maintain or improve building comfort, deliver resilient, durable solutions, or contribute to greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

Last week, Hochul announced the $1.72 million expansion of child care accessibility on SUNY campuses with the availability of 200 more spots at 12 high-demand SUNY campus child care centers. The funds were allocated to SUNY campuses in Broome, Dutchess, Genesee, Hudson Valley, Jamestown, Niagara County, Schenectady, Suffolk County, Tompkins, Cortland, Ulster, and Westchester. This builds upon Hochul’s 2023 Budget initiative to ensure that all SUNY Campuses have access to high-quality childcare centers as demand for childcare spots has risen, with 80% of students with dependents reporting having trouble meeting their childcare needs. “Investing in child care centers on SUNY campuses empowers our students, staff, and faculty to pursue a higher education with ease while supporting working families,” Hochul explains.

Late last week, to facilitate healthcare workers in addiction service and care, Hochul publicly announced that more than $7.7 million in funding was awarded to four medical schools through the Office of Addiction Services and Supports. The new funding will help support new workforce development and fellowship programs that will allow medical students and current medical professionals to enter the fellowship program by supporting their stipends, salaries, or benefits. The four schools that were awarded were:

SUNY Upstate Medical University
NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

This builds upon Hochul’s 2023 State of the State address, in which she iterated her commitment to supporting those struggling with addiction with new investments in harm reduction, preventive, and treatment support programs. “As medical professionals study the disease of addiction, we must provide the appropriate professional educational training needed to best serve this population,” Hochul explained.

In addition to addiction prevention, Hochul signed a proclamation issuing September as Suicide Prevention Month and a public announcement of a new digital awareness campaign by the Office of Mental Health for new suicide prevention resources, highlighting the state’s Crisis Contact Centers. The awareness campaign will also be complemented by a $10 million federal grant to expand the Collaborative Care Model among youth-serving primary care practices to help address mental and behavioral health problems among children and adolescents. These mental health initiatives build upon Hochul’s 2024 Budget priority to expand the investment of the state Crisis Contact Centers from $35 million to $60 million per year.

On the 22nd Anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack on Monday, Hochul signed five bills that honor and support families that were impacted by the terrorist attacks. “On this solemn day of remembrance, let us not only honor the lives lost on 9/11 but also extend our support to the survivors, their loved ones, and our first responders,” Hochul said. The five bills were:

S2946B/A75B (9/11 Notice Act): requires employers to notify the right to register for the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund and WTC Health program to any individuals who were in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn exposure zones between September 2001 and May 2002.
S6462/A6732: designate a portion of a highway in East Elmhurst, Queens as the “Port Authority Police Officer Pavlos D. Pallas Memorial Bridge"
S5362C/A5223C: designate a bridge in East Fishkill Dutchess County as the “Zone Sergeant James G. Sweeney Memorial Bridge”
S2519A/A3052: allows the widow of a state trooper, who died of health issues related to Ground Zero, to receive higher accidental death benefit
S5971/A7410: designate a portion of a highway in the towns of Islip and Smithtown as “Port Authority Police Officer Steven J. Tursellino Memorial Highway.”

On Tuesday, Hochul presided over the historic investiture of Chief Judge Rowan Wilson and delivered the oath of office. Chief Judge Rowan Wilson is the state’s first Black Chief Judge in the Court’s 176-year history. He had been an Associate Judge since 2017, and the Senate confirmed his Chief Judge nomination in April. “This is a milestone. But that is not why he is sitting here today. That is not why he was selected. He has demonstrated through his years already on this Court the intellect, the understanding, the ability to write in such a powerful way and to really make decisions that matter,” Hochul said at the investiture. The investiture of Chief Judge Wilson comes months after Hochul’s first Chief Judge nominee, Judge Hector LaSalle, was rejected by the Senate in February.

With the fall season starting, Hochul announced that the state attracted a record amount of 291.5 million tourists last year, generating more than $78.6 billion in direct spending and $123 billion in total economic impact. The numbers also surpassed the previous records set in 2019, with 266.7 million visitors generating $117.6 billion in total economic impact and $79 billion in direct spending. It is reported that the average household in the state saved $1,300 in taxes due to state and local tax revenues generated by tourism, highlighting Hochul's "Bring Back Tourism, Bring Back Jobs” Initiative to invest in tourism, economic development, public transportation, and public safety. "Tourism continues to be an important driver behind our state’s economy, and my administration is committed to boosting the industry to make sure that visitors from around the world can see all that New York has to offer," Hochul explained.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

GOP Leaders Further Urge Hochul for Asylum-Seekers Crisis Special Session

More GOP lawmakers, including Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt and Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, have urged Hochul to reconvene a special session to consider ways for the state to deal with the ongoing asylum-seekers crisis. Currently, more than 110,000 asylum-seekers have arrived in NYC, with an estimated 10,000 arriving every month. “I think we can agree on this, both from the Republican perspective and from the Democrat perspective, this is a crisis,” Barclay explained. This comes after many closed schools, hotels, and community-based buildings across NYC have been converted to asylum shelters, with many other locations across the state being considered. On Wednesday, Hochul emphasized that she has met with Senate and Assembly leaders to find possible solutions to ease the asylum-seekers crisis, including a bill to allow state-level work authorization. “I’m looking at possible language. I want to make sure it’s going to be successful,” explained Hochul. “If there were to be a session, what would be involved? There has to be an objective,” Hochul said on the possibility of a special session. Both Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins also did not confirm to any special session.

Lawmakers Rally for Mayor Adams

Earlier this week, various lawmakers rallied outside NYC City Hall to “rally to call out those for unfair attacks on Mayor Eric Adams over migrant crisis and NYC budget cuts.” This comes a week after Adams said that the ongoing asylum-seekers crisis “will destroy New York City,” leading to much criticism from progressive lawmakers. “We need to ask why, at this time of crisis, certain elected officials are calling out the mayor as anti-immigrant. We all know that’s not true,” said Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar. Other lawmakers in attendance were:

Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn
Assemblymember David Weprin
Senator James Sanders Jr.

Democrats Hold Queens Assembly Seat After Special Election

Democrat Sam Berger won his special election race for Assembly District 27 in Queens on Tuesday with 2,447 votes, while GOP David Hirsch received 1,979 votes. Although the Democrat Daniel Rosenthal previously held the seat before his retirement earlier this summer, GOP gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin won the district over Hochul last year, making the seat a focus for both parties. Running as a moderate, Berger primarily campaigned on public safety and received numerous union and institutional endorsements. Hirsh also campaigned on public safety and focused on state and city Democratic leaders’ handling of the asylum-seeker crisis. Many observers viewed the special election race as a possible playbook for the City Council elections in November and for congressional and statewide elections next year.

Lunar New Year Officially a School Holiday

After much advocacy from various lawmakers throughout this year’s session, Hochul signed a bill declaring Lunar New Year a school holiday. This comes after the Senate approved a measure earlier this year allowing all students in SUNYs and CUNYs to observe Lunar New Year without being academically penalized and after Speaker Heastie announced the Assembly’s intention to approve a bill making Lunar New Year and Diwali an official state holiday. Speaker Heastie explained that the Lunar New Year holiday “will also shine a light on the culture and traditions of our Asian friends and neighbors, and in a time where we have seen hate and violence against Asian communities, this will open people’s eyes, encouraging tolerance and acceptance.”

Bill Cracking Down on Telemarketers Signed by Hochul

On Wednesday, a bill was signed by Hochul doubling the fine from $11,000 to $20,000 for telemarketers that violate the Do Not Call Registry. The bill was signed to decrease further robocalls in the state, which has been declining in the state in recent years, and a 46% decrease in consumer complaints. Last December, Hochul signed a bill requiring telemarketers to give customers the option to be added to the Do Not Call registry. “This law is a victory for every New Yorker who would like to be able to pick up their phone in peace,” said the Assembly sponsor, Alex Bores. The Senate sponsor, Joseph Griffo, agreed and added, “It is my hope that this legislation will provide some much-needed relief to New Yorkers who are sick and tired of receiving bothersome, inconvenient, and troublesome calls every day.”

Senator Addabbo Launches New Podcast Series

Last week, Senator Joseph Addabbo, Jr. launched his new podcast series, “Where Do We Go From Here,” featuring a special guest to tackle an important community issue in each episode. The premiere episode featured Dr. Kristina Wong of the Forest Hills Psychology Group, where she and Addabbo discussed five strategies to help students and parents prepare for the new school year. “Over the coming months, I will seek to examine various topics and issues. I believe these podcasts will allow me to have a closer connection with my constituents,” explained Addabbo. Every episode will be available on his YouTube channel.

OTHER UPDATES

State's Ethics Commission Found Unconstitutional

On Monday, a state Supreme Court judge ruled that the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG) violated the state’s separation of powers by usurping constitutionally prescribed authority from the executive branch. “The question presented is whether the Legislature gave the commission authority that rightly belongs to the executive branch,” wrote Supreme Court Judge Thomas Marcelle in the ruling. This comes after COELIG was pursuing a possible ethics violation against Andrew Cumuo for publishing a book during his tenure as Governor during the COVID-19 pandemic, who then sued COELIG for violating the state constitution. Under the ruling, COELIG has until September 21st to schedule a briefing on the severability, allowing them to retain some authority or be deemed entirely void. COELIG said they will appeal the decision.

NYC Agencies to Undergo Budget Cuts Amidst Asylum-Seekers Crisis

Mayor Adams warned NYC agencies that they must cut their budgets by 15% through next spring if the city does not get additional funding for the asylum-seekers crisis, as it is projected to spend $12 billion by the end of 2025. All agencies are expected to undergo a 5% budget cut by this November and a further 5% in January and April. Additionally, a hiring freeze will go into effect on October 1st. This comes after the city is expected to face a significant $13.8 billion budget gap in 2025, even before the cost of the ongoing asylum-seekers crisis. “New Yorkers are angry and frustrated, and they’re right to be. I am too,” said Adams in a speech last Saturday.

Former NYC Buildings Commissioner & Councilmember Charged With Bribery

On Wednesday, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg charged former NYC Department of Buildings commissioner Erich Ulrich with 16 counts of bribery, conspiracy, and filing false information. He was accused of exchanging access and official favors for $150,000 while as the Buildings commissioner, advisor to Mayor Eric Adams, and a Councilmember. Ulrich was among seven people charged in an investigation of a bribery scheme in NYC, leading to five separate indictments. “Throughout the process, Mr. Ulrich has maintained his innocence, and today’s proceedings do nothing to change that. His integrity remains intact,” Ulrich’s attorney said.

OCM to Open Up Cannabis Licenses to Everyone in the State

Even with the CAURD licenses up in the air due to ongoing court challenges, the Office of Cannabis Management announced the expansion of cannabis licensing to everyone in the state. Starting on October 4, applications for Cultivator, Processor, Distributor, Microbusiness, and Retial Dispearny license will be avaibale through the state’s Business Express platform (NYBE). Although all applicants, including medical companies, can apply for the new licenses, application fees and licensing fees are reduced by 50% for all Social & Economic Equity applicants. This comes as cannabis farmers, processors and retail license holders joined the state’s Cannabis Control Board meeting on Tuesday to ask for additional help.

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