“As the 2024 legislative session gets underway, I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues and the governor to address the needs and concerns of our communities. As we navigate through this year’s budget process, I am committed to championing initiatives that will help make New York a better, safer place to call home.

“The governor’s State of the State address aligns with my vision to enhance our educational resources. We’ve accomplished a lot over the years, from reducing stressful testing to fully funding Foundation Aid, but more must be done to better equip our students for future success. The ‘Back to Basics’ initiative will help ensure children are reading proficiently at an early age through evidence-based science reading approach, along with bolster our educators by investing in new training for these reading standards.

“I also support the governor’s initiatives on digital safety for children. Artificial intelligence and other innovative technologies continue to develop and advance in unprecedented ways. We as a state must work to ensure these platforms remain safe places of socialization as well as hubs for technological innovation.

“Here in New York, we will always advocate for women’s health care. It’s because of this that I support the governor’s plan to combat the growing maternal and infant mortality crisis in our state. Expanding access to medical services for mothers, reducing unnecessary C-sections that put the mother’s health at risk and launching first-in-the-nation prenatal leave will lead to better outcomes for families and establish New York as a leader for safe, effective health care.

“I applaud the governor's remarks on expanding access to mental health resources such as creating school-based mental health clinics, funding mental health court expansion and expanding mental health support for New York state’s veterans.