Issues: Crime

Critical funds for programming to help at-risk youth will be made a priority in Senate budget resolution. 

Kennedy says Senate’s proposal includes funding for Operation SNUG, which combats gang violence, and the Court Appointed Special Advocates program, which assists youth in the Family Court System.

Kennedy: Now we must ensure resources for at-risk youth remain in the final negotiated budget.  

Measure Would Help New York Prevent and Prosecute Sex Trafficking, Protect Adult and Child Victims

The New York State Senate today passed the Trafficking Victims Protection and Justice Act to further protect trafficked children and other victims, and punish the criminals who are responsible for sexual exploitation. The bill (S2511), sponsored by Senator Patrick M. Gallivan (R-C-I, Elma), improves and expands the state’s ability to combat sex trafficking, punishes sex traffickers, and protect the rights of victims in the sex trafficking trade.

     Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (R-Merrick) today announced that the New York State Senate has passed legislation he sponsors to raise penalties for criminals who impersonate police officers in order to commit crime.

ALBANY, N.Y. – With Sen. O’Brien’s yes vote, the State Senate passed legislation yesterday closing a loophole that allowed those convicted of crimes against children and sexual and drug-related crimes to serve as bus monitors.

“With this simple, common-sense legislation, we’ve made concrete gains in protecting our children from potential predators,” O’Brien said. “It was an unfortunate loophole, since existing restrictions on people convicted of those types of crimes only applied to bus drivers. I was proud to stand with my colleagues and update our laws to keep children on school buses safe.”

The New York State Senate today passed legislation to protect children by preventing people who have been convicted of crimes involving children, sexual-based offenses, and drug offenses from being a school bus monitor. The bill (S883), sponsored by Senator John Bonacic (R,C,I-Mount Hope), also updates existing laws to include Leandra’s Law convictions in disqualifying a person from being a school bus driver for five years after conviction.

The NYS Department of Financial Services (DFS) is setting new rules to speed the processing of insurance claims in areas affected by Storm Sandy. The new regulation reduces the amount of time an insurer can delay its decision on a claim, and requires insurers to report to the Department on how many claims it is delaying and the reasons for the delays.

Call to Action Comes in the Wake of Congressional Report on Alleged Waste, Fraud and Mismanagement Within NY Medicaid Program, Inaction of OMIG, Resulting in Potential Loss of Billions in Federal Dollars

Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos and the Senate Republican Conference today called for an immediate independent audit of New York State’s Medicaid program and announced a forthcoming joint roundtable meeting of the Senate Health and Investigations Committees to investigate allegations of complacency and inaction by the state Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG).