Publications

Keeping You Informed

Budget: Spending Kept In Line; No New Taxes; Investments Made in Schools, Jobs and Parks

As I write this column, we are closing out on a long week of budget talks and have just passed the state budget in Albany. I was happy with the budget process. It was done during the daylight and lawmakers had plenty of time to review the bills before...

Protecting What Counts - Fighting Fraud in the Public Assistance System

Manufacturers in Need of Incentives; Undoing Costly Mandates; Free Fishing Clinics May Expand

I wanted to update you on a few matters this week. This is a busy time of year in Albany. I’ve met with many people across New York State and throughout the district recently, and I wanted to bring you up to date on some items of interest. Manufacturers...

An Urgent Health Update from Assemblyman Will Barclay

Violent Felony Offender Registry Would Save Lives; Child Advocates Petition for Law Changes

I am a sponsor of legislation that would create a violent felon registry, similar to the sex offender registry. This registry would enable the public to better protect itself against heinous crimes that cannot be undone. The bill, "Brittany's...

DNA Databank May Expand; Online Petition Launched to Ban Synthetic Marijuana

New York may soon expand its DNA databank. This would help solve more crimes by linking criminals to the crime they commit. The State Senate recently passed legislation that would require anyone convicted of a felony or penal law misdemeanor to provide...

2011: A Look Back at a Productive Legislative Year

All in all, 2011 was a good year for New York State. Many things were accomplished in Albany, and we finally turned a corner, away from emergency spending bills and Albany gridlock. We passed a property tax cap. We passed a budget that cut spending...

Steps Taken in Favor of Small Business; More Regulations Need to be Lifted

Our last legislative session contained some successes for small-business owners. One major victory was we were able to pass a property tax cap. This is something our property and business owners have been calling for, and I was happy to vote for its...

Synthetic Drugs Pose Public Safety Risk

Earlier this year, you may remember reading about bath salts becoming a public safety concern. Tiny packets were being sold in convenience stores throughout the country. They had catchy names like Vanilla Sky, Ivory Wave, and White Rush. It didn’t...

New Yorkers Respond to Disasters, Floods

There have been numerous natural disasters recently, brought to us by an eventful weather pattern. Hurricane Irene knocked out power for many people on the East Coast for several days, took down trees, bridges, roads and houses. Just when people were...

Personally, I Enjoy a Good Book

Every year I sponsor a Summer Reading Challenge—a challenge that asks kids to read for 15 minutes a day over the summer months. I’ve always believed that leisure reading is a key to academic success. Exposing kids to books at a very early age can...

Autism, Domestic Violence, Grants for Small Businesses, Fishing Clinics Among Bills Passed this Session

This session was a productive one. The Legislature worked well together and though tough decisions were made during budget time, negotiations included rank-and-file members and went beyond the sanctimonious three men in a room, at least more than in...

The Ethics Bill: The Good and the Bad

An ethics bill was put before the Legislature last week and passed. It is a step in the right direction, aimed to help the state provide a more effective way to discipline those in State Government who violate ethics laws. It also strengthens some of...

Housing Market in Buyer’s Favor

According to the New York State Association of Realtors, low interest rates and low housing prices continued in early spring. Though our economy continues to struggle, these low rates and affordable prices make it a good time to buy a house. I wanted...

Driver Safety Training Must Include How to Share Road with Motorcyclists

There have been a number of motorcycle accidents reported in the local media in recent weeks. Many have resulted in serious injuries and even fatalities. Each accident and situation is different; however, motorcyclists continue to be at risk on the...

Crime Legislation Passes Assembly

There were a number of bills pertaining to public safety that passed the Assembly recently that I was happy to support. I wanted to share a short explanation of these bills in this week’s column. If passed by the Senate and signed by the Governor...

‘I Love NY Outdoors’ Would Bolster Tourism Dollars

Our region is rich in natural streams, forests and waterways that lend themselves to perfect conditions for a number of outdoor sports including snowmobiling, fishing and hunting. Year round, our state enables outdoor enthusiasts a different opportunity....

Manufacturers Visit Albany; Parks Protected; Governor Meets with Assembly Minority

Last week was another busy week in Albany. I wanted to make you aware of a couple highlights that took place during the week. Manufacturers urge reduction in government spending Manufacturers visited Albany during the fourth annual Manufacturing...

State to Expand Medical Databases

This month, the State Department of Health essentially laid the groundwork to create a health database of all New Yorkers. The State Department of Health, with funding from the Health Care Efficiency and Affordability Law of New York State (HEAL NY)...

Reminder: Be Wise Using Credit Cards During Holidays

Since the recession first hit, credit card use has slowed substantially. The Federal Reserve reported that consumer borrowing fell again in August as consumers cut back on credit card use for the 24th consecutive month. That said, however, the majority...