“As we begin a new legislative session, I am optimistic about the year ahead and the opportunities we have to make a real difference for the people of New York. My commitment remains steadfast in advocating for the issues that matter most to our state and the residents of my district.

I look forward to continuing to serve on the Mental Health and Alcoholism and Drug Abuse committees and am eager to take on my new leadership role as ranking Minority member of the Committee on Children and Families. Advocating for our Direct Support Professionals (DSP) will continue to be a major focus of mine throughout this legislative session. DSPs are the men and women on the ground who save lives every day.

I am excited to become a part of the Health, Housing and Education committees where I will focus on creative solutions to solve the housing crisis, fight to ensure our rural schools do not see a cut in aid and fiercely support our health care system and its impact on all New Yorkers.

Emergency Medical Services must be declared an essential service, and I will continue to advocate for universal school meals. I will fight back against unrealistic energy policies that will have catastrophic impacts on the local economy, our local school districts and in many cases create more harm to our environment. I will continue to advocate for law enforcement including our correction officers who are working multiple 16-to-24-hour shifts, contributing to major labor and safety issues for both correctional officers and those who are incarcerated.

I will continue to focus on collaborating with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to address the challenges we face and to find common ground for solutions that benefit all New Yorkers. Together, we can strengthen our communities, improve affordability, ensure public safety and deliver the results our constituents deserve.”