“I would like to congratulate Mr. Heastie on his election as Speaker of the New York State Assembly. This was truly a historic day in our chamber, as we witnessed the election of the first African-American to serve as speaker. I wish Speaker Heastie well in his new role.

“Now, it is time to get to work. There is too much important work to do on behalf of the families of New York State. It is such a tremendous honor and privilege to serve in the NYS Assembly, which is why it’s imperative that we come together to restore some public confidence in this institution, which has been stained by scandal and corruption. The people of our state need leadership to address the challenges we face, and it is my hope that we can work together in a bipartisan way to restore the public’s trust while adopting policies that improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers.”