With only three session days remaining in this year’s scheduled legislative season, it still remains to be seen if the Assembly will address any of the concerns New Yorkers have so adamantly voiced. Felons are still collecting pensions funded by taxpayers, our economic development programs are still being investigated by federal prosecutors, and we still don’t have any action from the Assembly Majority on the heroin and opioid epidemic gripping this state.

Nearly all New Yorkers want to fix our corrupt and broken legislative system. The Assembly Minority Conference agrees. Since the beginning of session this year, ethics has been a priority. Our plan would strip officials convicted of crime related to their position in office of their taxpayer-funded pension. We’ve also introduced term limits for legislative leaders and campaign finance reforms. All of these measures have been ignored.

Just this week, I attended a press conference held by Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,C-Canandaigua) to introduce legislation that would bring transparency and ethical reforms to the state’s economic development programs. This plan would address everything that is currently wrong with our state agencies and even assist in cleaning up some of the governor’s economic development programs that are seemingly always under federal investigation. I am interested to see if this plan will be addressed or pushed to the side.

Earlier this year my conference released its report on the heroin and opioid epidemic crippling communities in our state. In this report we offered our findings from the statewide forums and meetings we held and offered plans of attack to fight back against this disease. The Senate then passed some of our proposed legislation and the only thing preventing this legislation from being signed into law are the Assembly Majority. Once again our bills were ignored.

Time is running out. The hourglass is almost empty and the Assembly Majority has failed to address the issues New Yorkers actually care about. Its stubbornness toward working with the Assembly Minority and Senate Majority has proved New Yorkers’ displeasure with their government is well placed. While I am hopeful that during this last week we address the real issues, I won’t hold my breath.

I welcome your thoughts on the Assembly Majority’s incompetence or any other legislative matter. Please contact me by emailing blankenbushk@assembly.state.ny.us or by calling my office at 315-493-3909.