Assembly Member Khaleel M. Anderson and the Assembly Majority successfully passed many pieces of critical legislation during the 2020-2021 legislative session, which ended last Thursday, June 10th. Assembly Member Anderson and the Assembly Majority’s legislation focuses on reforming the criminal justice system, social and economic recovery, environmental justice, healthcare equity and more.

“My colleagues and I were called to serve and represent our communities amid one of the most difficult times endured in our state, country and world,” Assembly Member Anderson said. "Many of us joined the Legislature as newly-elected representatives with progressive vision, strong ideals, and a mandate to fight against injustice and inequity alongside community leaders, advocates and activists. We remained focused on this throughout the entirety of legislative session. I am proud that the bills that I passed and helped to pass, through prime sponsorship and co-sponsorship, will help Assembly District 31 and the entire state.”

Highlights of Assembly Member Anderson’s Legislative Accomplishments

(A7084-A/ANDERSON Same as S6229-A/Sanders) Authorizes the city of New York to alienate and discontinue the use of certain portions of parkland to enable the use of such lands for the construction of a storm sewer.

(A07324-A/ANDERSON Same as S.06070-A/Sanders) Directs the department of financial services to conduct a study on the impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on underbanked and underserved areas and small businesses and minority- and women-owned business enterprises getting loans.

The passage of this legislation ensures that our state will take the necessary measures to analyze and address the exacerbated economic inequalities that have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. Underbanked and underserved areas, as well as small businesses and MWOBs, were hardest hit during the pandemic and had already experienced financial difficulties before the pandemic began; with the passage of this legislation, the extent of these challenges will documented and presented to the Assembly for review so that financial supports can urgently go to our neighbors and businesses that need it the most.

Assembly Majority’s Legislative Accomplishments

CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM:

(A5576A): Relates to revocation of community supervision

The Less Is More Act is progressive legislation that will disrupt cycles of imprisonment needlessly impacting the lives of people under active parole supervision. With the passage of this legislation, formerly incarcerated people in New York will not have the parole system as a barrier to accessing job opportunities and reintegrating into communities.

(A1248A): Enacts the "marihuana regulation and taxation act"

MRTA’s passage brings an end to the criminalization of marijuana which has disproportionately targeted Black and brown people for years – MRTA’s passage also will result in long-needed community investments and new economic, research and job opportunities.

(A0380): An act to amend the correction law, in relation to restricting the use of segregated confinement and creating alternative therapeutic and rehabilitative confinement options

We must ensure the humanity of all individuals, and the HALT Solitary Confinement Act disrupted years of unjust solitary confinement torture that impacts the mental health of incarcerated people, many who are placed The United Nations defines “solitary confinement” beyond 15 days as torture, and before the passage of this legislation, incarcerated people in New York

EDUCATION EQUITY

(A8021): Provides that a student enrolled in an individualized education plan during certain school years may continue to receive educational services until the student completes the services pursuant to the individualized education plan or turns twenty-three years of age, whichever is sooner; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in drastic changes in the lives of students; for students with disabilities and IEP plans that ensure their access to educational services, including physical and occupational therapy, speech-language pathology and audiological services, and psychological services, the change to remote learning at many schools posed particular barriers to academic success and social-emotional learning and support. This legislation increased the age that students can continue to receive educational services if they are enrolled in an individualized education plan so that they can continue to be supported holistically while completing their K-12 education.

The New York State Assembly Majority has allocated $1.4 billion in Foundation Aid funding in this year’s state budget to public schools and the full phase-in of Foundation Aid over three years.

HEALTHCARE EQUITY

Safe Staffing

HOUSING JUSTICE

Assembly Member Anderson wrote a letter to President Joseph R. Biden, Senator Chuck E. Schumer, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging them to invest $70 billion in public housing across the State of New York as part of the proposed $3 trillion federal infrastructure plan. The letter was signed by dozens of Assembly Member Anderson’s colleagues in the New York State legislature.