Issues: Courts

The New York State Senate today gave final passage to legislation that would provide important protections for child victims who have been severely abused by their parents or guardians.

Series Of Public Safety Bills Come On The Heels of Boston Bombings & Foiled Terrorist Train Attack

With renewed calls for vigilance and increased public safety following the tragic bombings in Boston and the foiling of a terrorist plot to attack a train traveling across the state between New York and Toronto, the New York State Senate today passed a package of anti-crime legislation including a bill that would require convicted terrorists to serve their full prison sentence.

Rush-Henrietta High School Senior Tori Mangino and National Advocate Wil Craig Honored with New York State Senate Proclamations.

Kennedy secures $800,000 in state budget to preserve the Erie County Mental Health Association’s Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program, says more funding is needed next year. 

CASA program able to serve 200 of the 1000 at-risk children in need of help in Erie County; MHA, with Kennedy’s support, is pushing to expand the program. 

Bill Would Make it Illegal for Driver to Leave Scene After Vehicle Hits Any Object

The New York State Senate today passed “Alix’s Law”, sponsored by Senator Patrick M. Gallivan (R-C-I, Elma), to close a legal loophole and hold intoxicated drivers accountable for leaving the scene of an accident.

The legislation (S1698A) responds to a drunk driving accident that killed a teenage girl in Amherst, Erie County. On July 8, 2011, 18-year-old Alix Rice was killed by a drunk driver as she road home on her longboard. The driver argued that he was not aware he had hit a person and he was acquitted on the felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident.

State and local leaders in the City of Yonkers are fighting to keep a successful gun and gang violence prevention program called SNUG fully funded. At a Friday press conference, Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Senator George Latimer, Assemblywoman Shelley Mayer and Assemblyman Gary Pretlow were joined by members of the Yonkers City Council, Yonkers Police Commissioner Charles Gardner, SNUG violence interrupters, local activists and members of the clergy to call on the State to provide steady funding for the SNUG Program.

SNUG has successfully helped reduce shootings and quell violence in Yonkers and in many cities throughout New York State.