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Accomplishments

The Assembly Republican Conference has consistently initiated and developed public policies that have made New York State a better place to live, work, and raise a family. Time and again, Assembly Republicans have generated ideas, introduced legislation, and driven the discussion until the rest of Albany was forced to catch up. Our efforts have resulted in historic measures that cut taxes, create jobs, make communities safer, and allow New Yorkers to keep more of their hard-earned dollars. For any minority conference in Albany, the legislative process is an uphill climb. But the unwavering resolve of our members and their pursuit of a better New York has resulted in meaningful change for our constituents.


We will continue to create ideas and proposals that benefit the New Yorkers we represent. The following measures were developed and advanced by Assembly Republicans and are now law in New York State.

tax and mandate relief

TAX AND MANDATE RELIEF

  • Property tax cap to protect homeowners

  • School Tax Relief (STAR) program

  • Allowing seniors to substitute a recent income tax return for Enhanced STAR

  • Estate Tax threshold increase, providing more tax relief to families of deceased individuals

  • Cut the Corporate Franchise Tax for manufacturers

  • Sales tax cap on gasoline

  • Local Medicaid costs cap

  • Expanding property tax cap exemptions to include BOCES capital project payments and PILOT payment calculations

  • Creating uniformity throughout the alcohol industry by exempting tastings at licensed beer, cider, and liquor producers from sales tax

government refom

GOVERNMENT REFORM, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND BETTER BUDGET PROCESS

  • Ethics reform to clean up Albany

  • Legislative paperwork reduction, allowing bills to be placed on Senate and Assembly Members’ desks in digital form rather than in printed form

  • Shared Services agreements between the Department of Transportation and Thruway Authority

  • Prohibiting use of campaign funds for certain personal uses

  • Increasing funding to the Rainy Day Reserve Fund

  • Passing a Constitutional Amendment that was approved by voters to strip pension benefits from convicted corrupt officials

  • Rules Reforms to improve the operations of the State Assembly, including televising committee meetings and making all votes available electronically

economic development

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING AND ENERGY

  • Repealing the annual notice requirement in the Wage Theft Prevention Act, eliminating a burdensome and costly mandate on employers

  • Accelerating the phase-out of the 18-A “Energy Tax,” a tax placed on the utility bills of all individuals and businesses

  • Design-Build process to streamline municipal capital projects

  • Expanding the Linked Deposit Program, which provides businesses access to low-interest loans made affordable by State deposits

  • Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) funding increase to help pay the cost of building and maintaining local roads and bridges

  • Article X Power Plant Siting Law to expedite the process for building new
    power plants

  • Establishing an Economic Gardening pilot program in the Finger Lakes Region, where non-profit entities will provide counseling and marketing services to support businesses

  • Legalizing professional Mixed Martial Arts events in New York State

  • Property tax credits for manufacturers

  • Granting small businesses a cure period to remedy first-time regulatory violations to avoid penalties

education

EDUCATION

  • Prohibiting Common Core test results from counting against students

  • Prohibiting student data from being given to third parties

  • Common Core and testing reforms, specifically the creation of the content review committee

  • Community College Base Aid increase

  • Library Aid increase

  • Authorizing libraries to use Public Library Construction Grant Program funds for broadband services

  • Funding increases for State schools for the blind and deaf

  • Restoring funding to school districts by ending the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) within three years

  • Expanding funding for broadband services in libraries

health and human services

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

  • Funding restoration for the developmentally disabled

  • Emergency Medical Marijuana program to expedite treatment for persons with serious conditions

  • Creating the Public Umbilical Cord Blood Banking Program to utilize cord blood stem cells for treating life-threatening diseases

  • Creating an Autism Advisory Board to provide better treatment and services to persons on the autism spectrum

public protection

PUBLIC PROTECTION

  • Re-entering Federal LESO 1033 Program to equip law enforcement with
    federal surplus

  • Jenna’s Law – elimination of parole for violent felony offenders

  • Megan’s Law – sex offender registration requirement

  • Civil confinement of sexual predators

  • DNA Databank expansion

  • Repeal of the Combined Ballistic Identification System (CoBIS), a DNA database for handguns that was costly and failed to solve gun crimes

  • Buster’s Law – stronger penalties against animal abusers

  • Enacting legislation to combat the growing heroin epidemic

  • Additional reporting requirements related to untested sexual offense evidence kits being stored by law enforcement agencies

  • Creating a grant program for counties to improve regional interoperable communications systems

  • Simplifying the ability to redeem a repossessed motor vehicle or motorcycle

  • Strengthening reporting requirements related to child abuse in education settings

veterans' affairs

FIRST RESPONDERS, VOLUNTEERS, AND VETERANS

  • Eliminating and refunding fees for adding a veteran distinguishing mark to a driver’s license

  • Protecting jobs of public employees on military duty

  • Prohibiting protests at veterans’ funerals

  • Putting Service-Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises on an equal basis as MWBEs for the purposes of State contracts

  • Expanding the Military Enhanced Recognition Incentive and Tribute (MERIT)
    Scholarship to provide free college to surviving dependents of any veteran who loses their life or becomes disabled while performing their official duties

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