See what the top priorities are for Island’s state lawmakers in the 2020 legislative session

STATEN ISLAND -- With the 2020 state legislative session now in full swing, see what Island lawmakers’ top priorities are for the new year.

The state Legislative session runs for about six months from Jan. 8 to June 2.

STATE SEN. DIANE SAVINO (D-NORTH SHORE)

Though state lawmakers could not legalize marijuana in the 2019 legislative session, state Sen. Diane Savino is still pushing forward with a number of bills that would expand the use of medical marijuana.

One bill would provide insurance coverage for medical marijuana, another would study how medical marijuana could be taxed, while another would allow for medical marijuana to be used for a severe or life-threatening condition.

"2020 will be a challenging year. I will be sitting in on every Finance hearing to best figure out how we can close the $6 billion in Medicaid shortfall to ensure the financial integrity of the state,” Savino said.

“I will also look to continue my robust legislative agenda of ensuring those who sexually assault on subways are punished, expanding the medical cannabis program, creating the adult-use cannabis program, fixing the criminal justice reform package, protecting workers, creating a gig economy program, ensuring NYC isn’t allowing a proliferation of hotels to be used for homeless individuals, safe staffing or nurses, ensuring workplace safety, and much much more. I will be sure to be in touch with the governor’s office and my colleagues daily to advance the interests of my constituents," the senator said.

ASSEMBLYWOMAN NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS (R-EAST SHORE/SOUTH BROOKLYN)

Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis said her biggest focus this session is to take on the recent “botched bail reform law.”

“The number one priority for me is to get this botched bail law fixed, it’s dangerous, we’ve already seen a number of people released and rearrested just within days,” she said.

Malliotakis said she is taking a lead on the domestic violence aspect of the bail reform law. She explained that under the new law a “dangerous loophole” exists, where if a perpetrator does not legally live under the same roof as the domestic violence victim, they can be released and potentially go on to harm that victim again.

The assemblywoman, who is also running for Congress, said she continues to call on Mayor Bill de Blasio to freeze the cap the city’s property tax levy until a new system is put in place.

She also wants to continue expanding veterans’ mental health funding for the city for peer-to-peer counseling for veterans.

ASSEMBLYMAN CHARLES FALL (D-NORTH SHORE)

With the Bay Street Corridor rezoning underway, Assemblyman Charles Fall said he is focused on bringing a bus rapid transit system to the North Shore as well as advocating for affordable and accessible public transportation for the area.

Fall said he wants to make sure funding for schools is given to school districts on the North Shore in need of funding and expand school safety technology.

With the state facing a $6 billion budget shortfall, Fall said he wants to consider an excise tax on vaping products.

ASSEMBLYMAN MICHAEL CUSICK (D-MID ISLAND)

Did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

ASSEMBLYMAN MICHAEL REILLY (R-SOUTH SHORE)

Assemblyman Micheal Reilly is also focused on pushing to make changes to the new bail reform law as well as the expansion of school zone speed cameras.

“There’s been numerous examples of what’s wrong with this law, so I think there’s an opportunity that my colleagues across the aisle missed last year in trying to rush this through instead of really taking a step back and looking at the full impact that it would transition from words on paper on a bill to how it actually plays out in the street and in courtrooms," he said.

Over the summer, Reilly penned a letter to Cuomo’s office asking the governor to issue an executive order that would suspend the provisions of the bail reform law for 30 days.

Reilly has also been a vocal critic of the expansion of the city’s school zone speed camera program.

He is pushing forward with a bill that would require the city’s Department of Transportation to put visible yellow signage at least 50 feet before a speed camera that would alert drivers to the hidden cameras and let them know they are in a school speed zone.

Another bill would use the revenue generated from speed cameras to be put toward making safety improvements to school zones and crosswalks and allow the NYPD to hire more school crossing guards.

STATE SEN. ANDREW LANZA (R-STATEN ISLAND)

Did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

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