Siena Poll: Two-Thirds of New Yorkers Reject GOP Control of the Senate
By Mike Connery on 08/18/2010 @ 03:24 PM
The latest poll from Siena College shows an anti-incumbent mood in New York directed primarily at upstate Republicans and the Party of No.
According to the poll's findings, 67% of New Yorkers reject a GOP-controlled Senate, preferring to see the Democrats make gains in the chamber (33%) or see the Senate remain closely divided (34%) among the parties. Anti-incumbent sentiment was directed primarily at upstate Republicans, where 58% of voters preferred "someone else" to their current representative, vs. 52% in the suburbs and just 43% in New York City.
Stan Greenberg of Siena puts the numbers into perspective:
“Republicans and independent voters are much more negative toward their incumbent senators than are Democrats, and upstaters and downstate suburban voters are much more negative than are voters in New York City."
This is the third poll from Siena to show that New Yorkers are overwhelmingly ready to kick Republican incumbents out of office. This poll is the latest in a string of bad news for Republicans, including lackluster fundraising numbers, a small and underwhelming class of candidates, and a particularly vicious and divisive primary battle in SD-40.
New Yorkers remember well what four decades of Republican deals, deficits and dysfunction did to our state. They don't want to return to the bad-old-days and are ready to empower Democrats to continue our work of reforming Albany.
Full cross tabs embedded below:
A Record of Accomplishment
By Mike Connery on 07/01/2010 @ 04:30 PM
As an undeniably tough session comes to a close, Majority Conference Leader John Sampson reminds all New Yorkers about the many accomplishments achieved by Senate Democrats during our first term in the majority in over 40 years. Many good bills were passed by Democrats that would not have seen the light of day during a Republican Majority, and New Yorkers are the better because of it.
Watch this video with Senator Sampson for a fuller picture of Democratic accomplishments in 2009 and 2010.
GOP County Chair Implying Republican Senators Should Not Seek Reelection?
By Mike Connery on 06/29/2010 @ 04:43 PM
Yesterday, Westchester County Republican Party chair Doug Colety absurdly requested that Democratic Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer not run for re-election this fall. His reasoning? A recent Quinnipiac University poll that found around 80 percent of voters are “somewhat dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied” with the way things are going in the state.
Maybe Colety should be more familiar with recent polling before he make requests that reek of desperation. If he was, he would know that the latest polling Siena polling showed an anti-incumbent mood in New York – one that was directed primarily at upstate Republicans and the Party of No.
According to the poll's findings, 66% of New Yorkers reject a GOP-controlled Senate, preferring to see the Democrats make gains in the chamber (34%) or see the Senate remain closely divided (32%) among the parties. Anti-incumbent sentiment was directed primarily at upstate Republicans, where 58% of voters preferred "someone else" to their current representative, vs. 51% in the suburbs and just 40% in New York City.
On the generic ballot, 44% preferred a Democratic Senator to just 26% Republican. Stan Greenberg of Siena put the numbers into perspective: “Democrats are inclined to re-elect their incumbent state senator by a 47-40 percent margin, while Republican voters prefer ‘someone else’ by an overwhelming 60-23 percent margin,” Greenberg said. “Upstate, where 20 of 25 senators are Republican, only 28 percent want to re-elect their senator and 58 percent prefer ‘someone else.’
This not the first poll to suggest frustration with the GOP. This is the second poll from Siena (and third poll overall) to show that New Yorkers are overwhelmingly ready to kick Republican incumbents out of office.
By Colety’s ‘logic,’ every Republican Senator should fail to run for reelection this year- after all, polls show that people are upset and that they are more dissatisfied with Republicans.
It’s not too often we find ourselves agreeing with a GOP county chair- but if he wants to wipe the November ballots of all Republican incumbents, we wouldn’t put up much of a fight.
Siena Poll: 66% of New Yorkers Reject GOP Control of the Senate
By Mike Connery on 06/14/2010 @ 11:16 AM
The latest poll from Siena College shows an anti-incumbent mood in New York directed primarily at upstate Republicans and the Party of No.
According to the poll's findings, 66% of New Yorkers reject a GOP-controlled Senate, preferring to see the Democrats make gains in the chamber (34%) or see the Senate remain closely divided (32%) among the parties. Anti-incumbent sentiment was directed primarily at upstate Republicans, where 58% of voters preferred "someone else" to their current representative, vs. 51% in the suburbs and just 40% in New York City.
On the generic ballot, 44% preferred a Democratic Senator to just 26% Republican. Stan Greenberg of Siena puts the numbers into perspective:
“Only 35 percent of voters want to re-elect their incumbent state senator, while 50 percent prefer ‘someone else.’ It is not, however, automatically good news for Senate minority Republicans seeking to regain control. Democrats are inclined to re-elect their incumbent state senator by a 47-40 percent margin, while Republican voters prefer ‘someone else’ by an overwhelming 60-23 percent margin,” Greenberg said. “Upstate, where 20 of 25 senators are Republican, only 28 percent want to re-elect their senator and 58 percent prefer ‘someone else.’
These are not isolated numbers. This is the second poll from Siena (and third poll overall) to show that New Yorkers are overwhelmingly ready to kick Republican incumbents out of office. What's more, the poll comes on the heels of a string of bad news for Republicans, including four high-profile retirements, an underwhelming class of candidates, voter registration gains for Democrats across the state, and the felony conviction of former Republican Leader Joe Bruno.
New Yorkers remember well what four decades of Republican deals, deficits and dysfunction did to our state. They don't want to return to the bad-old-days and are ready to empower Democrats to continue our work of reforming Albany.
Full cross tabs embedded below:
Video: New York Senate Dems at the State Democratic Convention
By Mike Connery on 06/09/2010 @ 05:26 PM
For those who couldn't be with us in Rye, NY, here's John Sampson's address to the State Party Convention, and the introduction of our 2010 slate of candidates.
The State Senate will be the most competitive electoral battleground in New York this cycle, and these women and men are the candidates we are relying on to bring real reform to Albany.
John Sampson: Senate Dems Accomplishments
By Mike Connery on 06/09/2010 @ 08:13 AM
In this video released by Senator John Sampson yesterday, the Majority Conference Leader looks back at the Democrats first 17 months in power. It's been a rocky road at times, but Democrats have accomplished much in our first term in the majority.
We passed rules reform and opened government up to the people. Reformed public authorities and passed the most sweeping ethics bill in a generation. We brought property tax relief to New Yorkers and saved jobs.
Nevertheless, as Senator Sampson reminds us, much work remains to be done. While Senate Dems were busy working for New Yorkers, Senate Republicans have been standing on the sidelines shouting "no" and obstructing progress at every turn. It's going to take hard work - and a larger majority in November - to truly give New Yorkers the government they deserve.
TRANSCRIPT A year ago today we were a house divided.Trust was broken and the fabric of government was torn.
But for every setback, there is a comeback.
I believe in the politics of hope and the strength of action.
And here is what we have done:
We transformed the rules of the Senate to make the legislative process more open, accountable, and inclusive.
We gave all members an opportunity to advance legislation with a straight up or down vote on their bills.
Equalized resources for all Senators regardless of party.
And used new technology to make every legislative action available to the public through live web broadcasts and the documentation of every legislative meeting in an easily searchable online database.
Then, putting partisanship aside and the people first, we worked across the aisle to pass bipartisan legislation.
We reformed New York City school governance, dragged shady Public Authorities into the light, consolidated local governments, and created a new tier in the state pension system to save taxpayers billions.
We took the historic step of appointing Republican Minority members as Committee Chairs for the first time in Senate history to continue to build a more efficient and functional chamber.
And then we took on ethics reform, passing the toughest ethics and campaign finance law in a generation.
We hoped it would be the first break in the Albany logjam, but the Senate Minority continued their history of building walls to exclude regular New Yorkers and block reform.
That’s ok. Because the work begins again, hope continues to rise, and our quest for ethics reform will not die. We will make it happen.
Changing the way business is done in Albany was no easy task after forty years of dysfunction.
And some achievements many thought were out of reach finally got done.
We passed the Bigger Better Bottle bill cleaning up our environment.
We passed Property Tax and Mandate Relief.
We passed the Family Health Care Decision Act and the HIV Rent Cap after nearly two decades of Republican obstruction.
We passed Rockefeller Drug Reform.
And, Democrats brought Marriage Equality to the floor for the first time in our State’s history.
Recognizing that New York works best when New Yorkers are working, Senate Democrats helped create and save over 400,000 jobs in our first term in the Majority.
From Power for Jobs, to the first in the nation Green Jobs program we are working our way out of financial disaster by putting New Yorkers back to work.
And we did not forget, nor will we ever forget, our greatest responsibility – our constitutional obligation to a quality education for every child in New York.
We gave New York the points we need to win $700 million in the Race to the Top.
The job before us is far from easy, and there will always be bumps along the way.
But giving New Yorkers a government they can believe in is not just a slogan, it is their birthright and our job to achieve.
And we will make it happen.
State of the Race: Senate Dems ED Josh Cherwin on Capital Tonight
By Mike Connery on 06/08/2010 @ 10:46 AM
As we've said in the past, the State Senate is the most competitive - and important - battleground in New York state politics this cycle. On Friday, the New York Senate Dems' Executive Director, Josh Cherwin, went on Capital Tonight with Liz Benjamin to discuss the state of the 2010 campaign, where Democrats are running strong, and why this is looking like a very bad year for Senate Republicans.
Hypocritical Republicans Vote Against Schools and Families
By Mike Connery on 05/29/2010 @ 10:26 AM
Yesterday, Democrats passed a landmark charter reform bill, more than doubling the number of charter schools allowed in the state, and banning private companies from profiting off students. Unanimously supported by Democrats, the measure sets up New York to receive $700 million in crucially needed, federal Race to the Top funds.
The measure was opposed by half of the Republican conference - a bizarre turn of affairs that exposes the hypocrisy and lack of substance behind the GOP's position on the issue. Just one month ago, when New York failed to secure a grant in the first round of Race to the Top awards, the GOP claimed that more action was needed to raise the cap on charter schools, and only Republican support could ensure that a bill passed in the Senate. Dean Skelos even released a statement criticizing the Democrats for inaction on charter schools.
Yet when time came to stand behind their words and stand up for New York's future, it was Skelos's conference that tried to obstruct much needed aid to our schools. Half of all Republicans voted against the measure, proving themselves once again to be the party of "no," and reminding New Yorkers just what Republican rule in the Senate was all about - empty rhetoric and broken promises made at the expense of their constituents.
Here's the rogue's gallery of naysayers from yesterday's vote, and the list of Democratic challengers fighting to replace them in November and bring real change to Albany.
- Farley - Susan Savage
- Flanagan
- Golden - Mike DiSanto and Claudio DeMeo
- Griffo - Maria Pavelock and Mike Hennessy
- Owen Johnson
- Larkin - Harley Doles and Larry Delarose
- LaValle - Regina Calcaterra
- Libous
- Maziarz
- McDonald - Joanne Yepsen
- Nozzolio
- Padavan - Tony Avella
- Saland - Didi Barrett
- Young
East Hampton Star Profiles Regina Calcaterra
By Mike Connery on 05/27/2010 @ 05:01 PM
The East Hampton Star is running a great profile of Regina Calcaterra, who is challenging 32-year incumbent Ken LaValle in Suffolk County (SD-1).
One why she's running:
Ms. Calcaterra said Tuesday that the idea to run came to her during the election of 2008, when she voted in New Suffolk, where she lives, and was surprised to see that Mr. LaValle was running unopposed. “I think everyone should have a challenger,” she said. “I made some simple inquiries. How come the Democrats didn’t have a strong candidate? There was a perception that he was unbeatable.”
But, she said, in that election only 81,000 of the 161,700 who turned out actually cast a vote for him. “For 50 percent of the turnout not to vote for State Senate seemed pretty powerful.”
On her history:
Ms. Calcaterra has the kind of biography that seems to have come out of a movie script or an Oprah’s Book Club selection. She was one of five siblings left by an alcohol and drug-addicted mother and different fathers. When they lived with their mother “we were evicted from every home we lived in.”
They were in and out of foster homes, but also lived in homeless shelters and abandoned cars in order to stay together. They often found refuge in libraries, where they read to one another and taught themselves when they couldn’t get to school, she said.
When she was 14, she realized that in order to go to college she would need to stay in one place to complete high school. “No one in social services knew what to do with someone who wanted to go to college. It was not their typical experience.”
She gained emancipation from her mother and stayed with a family in Centereach until she was accepted in the State University of New York system. She started at Stony Brook and completed her studies in political science at New Paltz.
Her first job out of college in 1988 was with the Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association, a group of Korean and Vietnam War vets who were paraplegic or quadriplegic. At the time, they were lobbying for the Americans With Disabilities Act, which became law in 1990. Once it passed, she continued to work with the group to follow the law’s implementation.
At 26 she began to take classes at a law school at night while she continued to work as legislative director for the New York City Comptroller’s Office. In passing 10 laws governing things such as public pension funds and prevailing wage laws, she said, from a Democratic city office she was able to build coalitions among the Republican state senators and governor and Democratic members of the Assembly.
Regina is a living example of what good, efficient government and public services can do when we invest in people. Her campaign has LaValle on the run (after decades unchallenged, he's already knocking on doors) and she's got a real shot at winning this race. Check out the full profile, and sign up to volunteer with her campaign to bring real change to Albany.
Senate Class of 2010 Getting Positive Reaction
By Mike Connery on 05/27/2010 @ 01:01 PM
After their introduction to the New York Democratic political scene yesterday at the state convention, the members Senate Democrats Class of 2010 are receiving positive attention in the progressive blogosphere and from the state political press. Here's a sampling of the coverage thus far:
- The Albany Project loved the launch video, particularly the introduction by former City Councilman Tony Avella, who is challenging Frank Padavan in SD-11.
- Rochester Turning also loved the video, and was excited about the campaigns of Robin Wilt and Mary Wimot.
- Jimmy Vielkind chatted with Mary Wilmot and Susan Savage about their respective races.
- Celeste Katz posted our video, and provided coverage to all of our candidates.
- Finally, our candidates received a shout-out on the State of Politics blog.
If you haven't met the Class of 2010 yourself, be sure to check out the video and use our new battleground map to connect with their campaigns.
Change Albany Now: Senate Class of 2010
By Mike Connery on 05/26/2010 @ 05:01 PM
Earlier today at the State Party Convention, Senator Sampson introduced the Democratic Party, and all of New York, to the Senate Class of 2010. You can read his full remarks here (video coming soon).
As Senator Sampson noted in his address, these are the women and men in whom we are investing our hopes for the future. They are challenging Republican incumbents across New York State - from Monroe County all the way out to the tip of Long Island. They are running to Change Albany Now. But they need your help.
They need your help to get our candidates on the ballot. They need your help to staff the phone banks and stuff the mailers. They need your help to knock on doors and rally Democrats around this state.
And with your help, they'll win in November and bring real change to Albany.
Meet the Democratic Senate Class of 2010, and listen to their vision for a reformed New York. Then go out into your districts, recruit your friends and family, and help make that vision a reality.
Siena Poll: Nearly Three-Quarters of New Yorkers Reject Republican Control of Senate
By Mike Connery on 05/24/2010 @ 11:21 AM
Buried in the cross tabs of this morning's poll from Siena College is yet more evidence that 2010 could be a bad year for Republican incumbents.
When asked if the election for State Senate were held today would you vote to re-elect your incumbent Senator or would you prefer someone else?, 49% of respondents expressed a desire to throw out their incumbent Senator - the highest number ever in a Sienna poll.
Among upstate voters - the Republican base - 53% want to see someone new represent them.
When asked would you prefer to see the Democrats win a larger majority, would you prefer to see the Republicans win control of the Senate, or would you prefer to see the Senate continue to be closely divided between Republicans and Democrats? a plurality of respondents - 36% - wanted to expand the Democratic Majority in 2010.
Most significantly, almost three quarters of respondents outright rejected Republican control of the Senate
For those paying close attention, you'll recognize this as yet another in a string of polls, studies and retirements, the sum total of which all point to one conclusion: Across the political spectrum, New Yorkers keenly remember what 44 years of Republican rule did for the state, and they're not ready to return to power the same party whose tax-and-spend (and borrow) approach drove our state to fiscal crisis.
For those who need a refresher course:
- A study of voter enrollment data conducted by NYPIRG in April revealed that Democrats saw enrollment gains in 51 of 62 Senate Districts, and that Democrats held an outright registration advantage in 45 districts.
- A poll by Quinnipiac in May showed results similar to those revealed by Siena today. Quinnipiac found anti-incumbent sentiment at its highest point in the poll's history, with Republican base voters showing the highest levels of dissatisfaction.
- Republicans suffered three high-profile retirements in recent months: Leibell, Volker, and Morahan.
- Former Republican Majority Leader Joe Bruno was convicted on two felony corruption counts.
- And the shallowness of the Republican political bench was revealed very publicly in a New York Times story in which potential GOP Senate candidates revealed that they declined to run due to a lack of confidence in the Republican leadership.
Middle-class families and our small businesses can’t afford to do business the way Republicans have done business. That is why they continue to reject GOP and are ready to grow the Democratic Majority in 2010.
Bill Clinton Headlines New York Senate Dems Fundraiser
By Mike Connery on 05/14/2010 @ 01:34 PM
Celeste Katz has the goods on our highly successful fundraiser last night, headlined by former President Bill Clinton:
The state Democratic Senate Campaign Committee raked in a cool $1 million -- nearly as much as last night's DCCC bash featuring President Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi -- at a 250-guest soiree on Central Park South last night.
Besides the familar personage in the photo, on hand were Majority Conference Leader Sen. John Sampson and DSCC Chair Sen. Jeff Klein and state Dems Chair Jay Jacobs.
Before the reception, a conference of 2010 Dem candidates included Tony Avella (running in SD-11), Didi Barret (SD-41), Kathleen Joy (SD-50), Carol Gordon (SD-8), and Mike Kalpowitz (SD-40) and Regina Calcaterra (SD-1).
The Truth About Budget Extenders
By Mike Connery on 04/27/2010 @ 12:18 PM
Yesterday the Democratic Majority Conference passed another round of budget extenders. The extenders are receiving the lion's share of media attention this morning, so it's worth taking some time to know what exactly is included in the extender, and why Republicans who vote against the extenders are not only hypocritical, but also working against the interests of the public, who rely on the jobs and services the extenders provide.
First, a look at what, exactly, the extender's fund:
- $2.57 billion mandated payments to schools for General Aid Payments not associated with the Executive’s delays of school aid payments.
- $2.5 billion for local providers of the Medical Assistance Program including:
- $1.45 billion for payments to Medicaid providers including:
- $900 million for medical services provided by State facilities operated by OMH, OMRDD and OASAS.
- $311 million for nursing home services.
- $261 million for managed care services.
- $234 million for long term care services.
- $172 million for hospital inpatient services.
- $137 million for pharmacy services
- $67 million for non-institutional and other spending.
- $30 million for outpatient and emergency room services
- $29 million for clinical services
- $12 million for transportation services
- $7 million for dental services
- $40 million for contracts approved prior to April 1, 2010 where payments must be made during the period from April 1, 2010 to May 2, 2010.
- $40 million for contracts approved in the period from April 1, 2010 to May 2, 2010 where payments must be made during the same period.
As is readily apparent, these are all vital services that New Yorkers rely upon, and represent thousands of jobs that are putting food on the table and a roof over the heads of New York families. Those who support this extender are supporting our troopers, guardsmen, corrections officers, nurses, and social service workers who care for our veterans, the homeless, and mentally disabled.
Which leads me to my next topic. Seventeen Republicans voted against the extender: DeFrancisco, Flanagan, Golden, Hannon, O. Johnson, Larkin, Libous, Marcellino, Maziarz, Nozzolio, Ranzenhofer, Seward, Skelos, Volker, Griffo, Winner and Young. Many of these Republicans have been in office for a decade or more. They had no problem voting for budget extenders when they controlled the chamber.
- 2008: 9 days late/ 2 extenders
- 2004: 133 days late/ 12 extenders
- 2003: 42 days late/ 5 extenders
- 2002: 42 days late/ 8 extenders
- 2001: 125 days late/ 12 extenders
- 2000: 39 days late/ 3 extenders
- 1999: 126 days late/ 19 extenders
- 1998: 14 days late/ 4 extenders
- 1997: 126 days late/ 10 extenders
- 1996: 104 days late/ 14 extenders
- 1995: 68 days late/ 10 extenders
Plainly, Republican opposition to the budget extenders isn't about taking a principled stand. It's about showboating for voters and shirking tough decisions. It's playing politics with people's lives and jobs. New Yorkers deserve more.
Quick Hits from the Trail: Skelos's Conflict of Interest, Klein's Legislation, Stewart-Cousins Responds
By Mike Connery on 04/27/2010 @ 11:01 AM
The latest news from the Democratic conference, candidates and campaigns:
- Andrea Stewart-Cousins responds to an attack by Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone.
- Senator Auburtine wants to make the Power for Jobs program permanent.
- 10 new Sunshine laws sponsored by Democrats were signed into law yesterday.
- Republican Leader Dean Skelos' Long Island law firm has a lobbying arm that raked in $284k last year, making it the third fasted growing lobby in the state. Conflict of interest anyone?
- Some of the grassroots are lining up behind Senator Breslin. Here's a positive post on the Senator by a blogger at The Albany Project.
- Senator Jeff Klein passed a bill to protect homeowners from loan modification scams. Watch him talk about the need for the bill in this video:
Obama, OFA to Focus Down-Ballot in 2010
By Mike Connery on 04/26/2010 @ 02:01 PM
Examine the 2006 and 2008 election results for New York state and it quickly becomes apparent that while Democrats performed well at the top of the ticket, our leaders rarely have significant down-ballot coat tails. Just because Barack Obama defeated John McCain in a given district does not mean that all Democrats in that district received equivalent support.
According to a new video released by OFA, that is a dynamic that President Obama wants to change in 2010. If he can pull it off, and bring "Obama voters" to the polls for down-ballot candidates this cycle, it will be a significant boon to Democrats in tight races. I'm glad to see OFA engage like this in the midterms, and hope they can pull off this bit of electoral jujitsu. But even if they can't, it's a lesson on what Democratic candidates across the state should be trying to do.
Senate Democrats Are Fighting for Seniors and Home Owners
By Mike Connery on 04/26/2010 @ 11:12 AM
As the Senate prepares to pass another round of budget extenders, this morning's news is dominated by stories describing the Senate Democrats "hard line in the sand" around property tax relief for New Yorkers - particularly our seniors.
Very few of those stories provide context as to why we believe that property tax relief is so important, and why the Senate Democrats are standing firm in this fight. Here's some hard data that should illuminate things.
According to The Tax Foundation, a non partisan group based in Washington D.C., for over 30 years tax rates in New York have been well above the national average. In all but 4 years between 1977 and 2008, New York ranked #1 in the nation as the state with the highest state and local tax burden.
Data from the Tax Foundation also shows that Westchester, Rockland, and Nassau counties have the dubious distinction of being ranked among the top ten counties in the nation with the highest property taxes , with Westchester and Nassau ranked numbers one and three, respectively.
While downstate counties and those on Long Island face the highest property tax rates in the nation, upstate and Western New Yorkers account for 8 of the top 10 counties in median real estate taxes as a percentage of median home value:
These taxes are killing middle class families and seniors who are struggling to make it through the economic downturn. Right now, Senate Democrats are the only elected officials representing the concerns of these New Yorkers in the budget negotiations.
Depsite 44 years in power, Republicans failed to rein in property taxes and provide real relief for New Yorkers. As of today, Republicans have yet to submit any ideas on how to fix the budget. Instead, they prefer sitting on the sidelines, rooting for Democrats to fail so they can make political hay in the Fall. All of this should be noted in any story reporting on the current budget negotiations. Anything less fails to provide readers with a full picture of the current budget debate.
Democrats Pass Earth Day Environment 2010 Agenda
By Mike Connery on 04/22/2010 @ 01:01 PM
Yesterday, the Senate Democrats passed a package of reforms that will protect our environment and the health of our children. The reforms, sponsored by Senate Dems Daniel Squadron, Antoine Thompson, Liz Kreuger, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Brian Foley, included:
- S3593 / Krueger: Institutes a rechargeable battery producer and retailer sponsored take back program at no costs to consumers.
Two Republicans voted No on the bill: Betty Little and John Flanagan. - S6141B / Squadron: Requires Auto Dealerships to post a Gallons Per Mile Fuel Savings Guide within the dealership that presents information developed by the DEC.
26 Republicans voted No on the bill: Alesi, Bonacic, DeFrancisco, Farley, Flanagan, Fuschillo, Golden, Griffo, Hannon, Owen Johnson, Larkin, Leibell, Libous, Little, Marcellino, Maziarz, McDonald, Nozzolio, Ranzenhofer, Robach, Saland, Seward, Skelos, Volker, Winner, and Young. - S6047A / Thompson: Establishes a comprehensive State-wide electronic equipment reuse and recycling program.
- S4983C / Foley: Limits pesticide exposures for school and daycare aged children by prohibiting certain outdoor, non-essential applications on playgrounds, turf, and athletic or playing fields.
22 Republicans voted No on the bill: Bonacic, DeFrancisco, Farley, Golden, Griffo, Hannon, Owen Johnson, Lanza, Larkin, Leibell, Libous, Little, Marcellino, Maziarz, Nozzolio, Ranzenhofer, Saland, Seward, Skelos, Volker, Winner, and Young. - S3296-G / Thompson: Prohibits the manufacture, distribution and sale of child care products such as pacifiers, bottles and sippy cups that contain Bisphenol.
- S5119 / Stewart-Cousins: Reduces the State’s waste by prohibiting the purchase and use of non-recyclable paper/mailing products.
21 Republicans voted No on the bill: Alesi, Bonacic, DeFrancisco, Farley, Flanagan, Golden, Griffo, Owen Johnson, Larkin, Libous, Little, Maziarz, McDonald, Nozzolio, Ranzenhofer, Saland, Seward, Skelos, Volker, Winner and Young.
Watch a video of the Democrats' press conference on the passage of this legislation package:
