Legislature Missed Opportunities to Make NY Better

The Senate and Assembly ended the 2025 legislative session earlier this month, but despite passing hundreds of bills lawmakers accomplished little to help hardworking, law-abiding New Yorkers. Opportunities to make our state safer and more affordable were missed. 

The Legislature’s most important responsibility is to adopt a balanced, on-time budget. This year’s plan was more than a month late and totaled a record $254 billion. While I am pleased with changes in how the state funds public schools and the investments made to rebuild roads and bridges, the budget spends too much in other areas. It includes $12 billion in new spending, which taxpayers cannot afford or sustain. New York is already among the most expensive places to live and raise a family. The final budget does little to ease that financial burden.

The Senate, also passed a re-worked version of the NY HEAT Act called the Customer Savings and Reliability Act. Despite the name change, the devastating impact it will have on residents and businesses remains the same. It mandates transition from gas to an all-electric energy system, which is impractical and costly. Fortunately, the bill did not come up for a vote in the Assembly. A second bill to do away with the existing 100-foot rule on natural gas extensions for new customers did pass both houses. It will not only increase costs, but it will also restrict natural gas access in the future. What is needed is a comprehensive plan for a cleaner energy future that is affordable and achievable, which is why I voted against both bills.  

I am also concerned about the approval of the Medical Aid in Dying bill. While I appreciate the sentiment of those who do not want to see themselves or loved ones suffer needlessly at the end of their life, I worry about the inexactness of science, the sufficiency of safeguards, and whether physicians are adequately trained to ensure the law, if signed by the governor, is implemented as intended. 

On a positive note, both houses approved expanded use of crossbows. The bill I co-sponsored provides long-overdue updates to hunting regulations and provides new opportunities for licensed and trained hunters, especially those with physical limitations that prevent them from using traditional bows.  

What the Legislature did not do is also concerning. Efforts by my colleagues in the Senate minority to fix bail laws and other criminal justice initiatives were rejected. We again missed the opportunity to ensure public safety by reversing the misguided reforms that embolden criminals at the expense of law-abiding individuals. We also failed to adequately address the crisis in our prisons and the conditions which have made them less safe for correction officers, staff, visitors, and inmates. 

Going forward, the Legislature needs to do more for working families and taxpayers by focusing on controlling the size and cost of government and ensuring public safety. I will continue to advocate for legislation that makes our state a better place for everyone.