Issues: Children

Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins announced that legislation she introduced in the Senate, S7190, to provide additional aid to the Yonkers City School District, passed this week out of the Local Government Committee. The Yonkers City School District has a fully implemented Universal Pre-kindergarten Program in its schools that has served as a model for other districts and has had a significant positive impact on improving student performance in the region.

The Senate Democratic Majority passed legislation (S2233-A/Montgomery) which will reform foster care agencies’ current policy of instantly terminating parental rights – of specifically mothers – who are incarcerated, allowing them to clean up their act and retain rightful custody of their children.

With the end of the school year rapidly approaching, Senator LaValle is inviting all students in the First Senate District to participate in his Summer Reading Program.  Senator LaValle is sponsoring this free program to encourage students throughout our community to continue reading over the next summer vacation.

As the school year draws to a close, students naturally turn their thoughts to summer vacation and time away from books! It is important, though, to keep school age children in the mindset of learning. For this reason, New York State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins encourages all parents to bring their children to the local public library this summer.

For more information on hours and locations: Click Here!

Today, the Senate Democratic Majority held a hearing on matrimonial law reform, hosted by Senate Majority Conference Leader, John L. Sampson and Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, Chairwoman, Crime Victims, Crime and Correction Committee and Chairwoman, Majority Task Force on Domestic Violence.  The hearing focused on :

Joined by volunteers from all walks of life in Brentwood, State Senator Brian X. Foley led the effort to clean up graffiti from public and private property in the neighborhood. Senator Foley’s office worked with a local civic group, Brentwood Residents Against Violence Every Day (BRAVE), to organize the start of a concerted effort to rid the community of graffiti.