“After three terms representing the people of the 12th Assembly District, I have decided not to seek reelection for a fourth term. This decision was a difficult one, but it is time. I am proud of the work we have done these past five years, and I really loved being your assemblyman!

“I am truly humbled. It has truly been an incredible honor, and I have loved serving the community where I grew up in the New York State Legislature. I am proud of my accomplishments, having delivered real results. As a ranking Minority member of the Assembly Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Use, I fought for our children, our most vulnerable and for families. I was voted one of the most bipartisan members of the New York State Assembly two years in a row! I secured over $1 million in grant money!

“I drafted and introduced over 120 bills, the most in the Minority Conference by a far margin, and saw the passage of my cell phone ban in schools, as well as property tax relief for widows and widowers of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, new policies for people with co-occurring mental health and substance use issues and other important measures. I helped establish high school mentoring programs in six out of 10 school districts in AD12. I established the Long Island Drug Coalition, organized four Co-Occurring Disorder Conferences and, most recently, formed the LI Co-Occurring System of Care Committee, and worked with Western BOCES to establish a Co-Occurring Disorder Curriculum for our schools.

“I worked with Town of Huntington officials to strengthen our vaping laws. I worked closely with our partners in government to revitalize our waterfronts in Halesite and Northport. I worked with our town partners in government to clean up our Revolutionary War cemeteries and create an innovative Revolutionary War Trail app in time for the 250th Anniversary of our nation's founding. I established a Veteran Mental Health Coalition for Long Island and worked on veteran suicide prevention by integrating care for our veterans! I dealt with thousands of cases for constituents, helping them negotiate the labyrinth of state government.

“Thank you to my family, staff, colleagues, our town and county legislators and, most importantly, the constituents who placed their trust in me. I look forward to continuing to serve our community on the projects I have initiated, refocusing on my law practice and being with my family! May God bless you, our great state and these United States!!!”