Editorial: Legislators must earn trust on harassment

Originally published in Times Herald-Record

The goal of any legislation coming out of this hearing is clear and was clearly stated by state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, a Democrat elected last year to represent parts of the Bronx and Westchester:

“Every New Yorker should be able to go to work without fear of being mistreated or harassed on the job. And if they are subjected to harassment, every New Yorker should know how and to whom to report and be confident their allegations will be treated seriously, effectively, and promptly.”

It is not surprising that a newly elected state senator would see things so clearly because in her primary and general election, she personified the new attitudes that New Yorkers wanted to see in charge in Albany after decades of bipartisan embarrassment.