Curran on End of Session

Statement from Assemblyman Brian Curran (Lynbrook – 21st A.D.)

“This year’s legislative session ended with some great accomplishments for Long Island.  On the same token, there were also some missed opportunities that should have been taken up that were unfortunately sacrificed because of political priorities.

The good:

• This year we were able to secure record state school aid for Nassau County schools – an increase that hasn’t been seen since the recession;
• I helped pass the Long Island Water Bill which improves our water quality on Long Island and helps lay a pathway for significant progress in the future;
• Initially, I voted against an original bill that would make medical marijuana legal in New York State because of concerns over children smoking and possible legal abuse of the drug.  The compromise bill that was passed towards the end of session, and which I supported, does NOT allow the smoking of marijuana, only the vaporization of it.  Though it will still be illegal to smoke marijuana, only individuals diagnosed with cancer, HIV/AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity, epilepsy, Huntington's disease and a few more difficult conditions, will be able to use oils, edibles and tinctures for their treatment; and
• Lastly, I am proud to have voted for a package of 11 bills that would help combat the growing danger and epidemic of heroin use on Long Island and across the state.

The bad:

• We had an opportunity to pass historic legislation that would have helped generations of women in New York by passing nine non-controversial bills which make up the Women’s Equality Agenda (WEA). This was not achieved because Assembly Democrats chose to hold New Yorkers hostage and play politics with women's rights to use as a tool against their political opponents in the fall elections – I strongly condemn this and shame on them for doing it!
• Once again, as New Yorkers struggle with paying some of the highest property taxes in the nation, Albany leaders refuse to entertain and pass comprehensive mandate relief measures that would go great lengths toward easing the burden on taxpayers, businesses, school districts and local governments on Long Island and across the state; and
• Governor Andrew Cuomo failed to keep his promise to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Albany Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger and several rabbis when he said the Education Investment Tax Credit, which would provide incentives for donations to public and private education schools, would pass by the end of session. The governor could not control his Assembly Democrat Majority colleagues who, not surprisingly, refused to bring this up for a vote."

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