Press Releases

NYS Assembly Passes CO2 Drilling & Fracking Ban Bill; Advocates Applaud Legislators

Albany, NY – Following a rally and lobby day last week in support of legislation (A8866/ S8357) to ban drilling and fracking for natural gas and oil using carbon dioxide (CO2), the NYS Assembly passed the bill today 97-50. The bill has tremendous momentum,...

Senator Kavanagh and Assemblymember Kelles Introduce Bills to Protect New Yorkers from Dangerous Food Additives – Known and Unknown

Albany – Assemblymember Dr. Anna Kelles and State Senator Brian Kavanagh today announced the introduction of two pieces of legislation aimed at protecting New Yorkers from dangerous additives—known and unknown—used in foods and beverages.  The first...

Legislators, Advocates Rename Statewide Bird Safe Buildings Act the “FLACO Act”

New York — Today, in the wake of the untimely death of Flaco, the Eurasion eagle-owl that captured the hearts and minds of New Yorkers upon escaping from the Central Park Zoo after an individual vandalized his enclosure, New York State Senator Brad...

Assemblymember Anna Kelles and Senator Rachel May Announce New Legislation to Combat Harmful Algal Blooms in New York Waters

Assemblymember Anna Kelles (D-125th District) and Senator Rachel May (D-48th District) come together to protect the environment and New York’s precious freshwater resources with the Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring and Prevention (HABMAP) Act (A8867/S8356)....

Assemblymember Kelles and Senator Hinchey Bill for Agrivoltaics Research at Cornell Signed into Law

Ithaca, NY – On Friday, December 8th, Assemblymember Anna Kelles’ final remaining bill (A4911) of eleven bills she championed and ensured passed in the Assembly this year, was signed into law by Governor Hochul, establishing the Agrivoltaics Research...

Assembly Bill A1260 Envisions a Brighter Future for Broadband Infrastructure

Dryden, NY – Earlier today, Assemblymember Kelles and local Dryden officials celebrated the passage of A1260, a ground-breaking piece of legislation introduced during the 2023 legislative session, which promises to reshape the telecommunications landscape,...

Assemblymember Kelles Hosts Chair of NYS Senate Environmental Conservation Committee to Discuss District Priorities

Ithaca, NY – Assemblymember Anna Kelles hosted New York State Senator Peter Harckham, chair of the NY Senate Committee on Environmental Conservation, in Ithaca on September 28 as the Senator toured the state to discuss environmental priorities.Assemblymember...

Assemblymember Kelles Responds to Ruling Finding Greenidge Generation’s Air Permit Not Consistent with Climate Law in New York State

Ithaca, NY – On September 26, 2023, Greenidge Generation's air permit was found to be inconsistent with New York State's climate law. This ruling from a New York State Administrative Law Judge is a significant victory for environmental advocates, and...

Ithaca Carshare Saved!

Ithaca, NY – This afternoon, Senator Lea Webb, Assemblymember Anna Kelles, local elected officials, advocates, and community members held a press conference on the Ithaca Commons thanking Governor Hochul for signing the Ithaca Carshare bill (S5959B/A5718B)...

Assemblymember Kelles, Senator May, and Senator Webb Host District Leaders for Water Health Experience

Ithaca, NY – Assemblymember Anna Kelles, Senator Lea Webb and Senator Rachel May hosted Tompkins County municipal leaders and local water health experts September 5 for an informative afternoon exploring the natural freshwater resource of Cayuga Lake...

Assemblymember Kelles Announces State Aid for Library Construction of $601,750 to Cortland Free Library

Cortland, NY – Assemblymember Anna Kelles announced that Cortland Free Library of the Finger Lakes Library System was awarded $601,750 in state aid for library construction funds. The funds will enable Cortland Free Library to reconfigure the main reading...

Assemblymember Kelles Rejects NYSEG Rate Increases

Ithaca, NY – Assemblymember Anna Kelles, along with local elected officials and concerned citizens of the 125th Assembly District, rejected the proposed rate increases of NYSEG in a press conference today held at the Tompkins County Legislature Building...

Assemblymember Kelles Secures Funding for Agrivoltaics Research in New York State Budget

Ithaca, NY – Assemblymember Anna Kelles secured $1 million in funding in the New York State FY 2024 budget to establish the Agrivoltaics Research Program. Agrivoltaics is the use of land for both agriculture and solar energy generation. In rural communities,...

Statement from Assemblymember Kelles on Starbucks’ Departure from Ithaca

Ithaca, NY – Over the weekend, Starbucks notified employees at its two remaining Ithaca branches that they would be shutting their doors permanently on May 26th. This troubling move comes less than a year after the corporation shuttered their first...

"Rape is Rape" Bill Passage in the Assembly

Dear Neighbors, Every 68 seconds an American is sexually assaulted, and only 25 out of every 1,000 perpetrators will end up serving a prison sentence. The numbers are startling. As your Assemblymember, I helped pass the ‘rape is rape’ bill to expand...

Assemblymember Anna Kelles’ Town Hall Focused on Community Safety, Data and Solutions

We all deserve to feel safe. This was the starting premise of the February 2 Virtual Town Hall held by Assemblymember Anna Kelles with the Vera Institute of Justice, who were joined by a panel of leaders from Tompkins and Cortland counties in the community...

Pause Climate-Killing Crypto mining Now! Advocates, Electeds, FLX Biz Owners + Residents Rally @ Capitol

On Wednesday, dozens of advocates, electeds, and Finger Lakes business owners and residents gathered at the Capitol to demand Governor Hochul place a moratorium on crypto mining. The group also called on the DEC to deny the air permit renewal application...

Assemblymember Kelles: Assembly One-House Budget Proposal Includes Critical Funding for Local Municipalities, the Care Economy, Education, Affordable Housing, And the Environment

Assemblywoman Anna Kelles announced today that the Assembly State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2022-23 Budget proposal includes critical funding to help New Yorkers recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. “This is a smart budget for COVID-19 recovery,” said Assemblymember...

New Legislation Introduced by Kelles and Hinchey Will Address Shortages in Rural EMS Services

Albany, NY — New legislation introduced by Assemblymember Anna Kelles (A9164) and Senator Michelle Hinchey (S8189A) will address the crisis facing our Statewide EMS service system. Emergency Medical Services have evolved over many decades from a rescue...

Bitcoin Mining Moratorium Bill Picks Up Momentum as DEC Raises Doubts on Future Mining in FLX

ALBANY, NY - Legislation (A7389B/S6486C) to place a 3-year moratorium on Bitcoin mining in New York State is picking up steam in the Assembly with 41wisp co-sponsors including 15 senior-ranking Assembly committee chairs as of February 24. Just last week,...