Assemblyman Reilich - Leading the Fight for NY

	Assemblyman Bill REILICH
Leading the Fight for New York Spring 2005

BILL REILICH: FIGHTING FOR ISSUES CONCERNING WOMEN AND CHILDREN

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

Mammograms can find a tumor that may not be found by self-examination. It is much better to find a potentially cancerous tumor early as a way to reduce the extent of possible surgery.

Payment Options for Mammograms:
	Health insurers must pay for mammograms for women 40 and older.
	Medicare recipients pay 20 percent of the cost, even if their annual Part B deductible hasn’t been met.
	Mammogram costs are fully covered for Medicaid recipients.
	Special screening programs offer low/no-cost mammograms in every county.

QUALITY EDUCATION

A safe, supportive learning environment fosters a quality education and the confidence that schools meet certain basic criteria designed to fulfill the individual needs of every child. Parents and students should be confident that New York’s schools provide just that. We’ve outlined these fundamental goals in our "Bill of Rights for Parents and Students."

Students Have the Right to:
	Have their parents/guardians involved in their education.
	Prepare for college or join the work force at a level commensurate with their abilities.
	Be educated by teachers well prepared in their subject areas.
	Attend a school that provides a safe and nurturing environment.
	Expect that those in violation of the law or the school’s code of conduct will be dealt with in a timely and fair manner.
	An adequate supply of educational materials, including textbooks.

Reilich’s Weekly Update: Wednesdays
Cable Channel 12 · 7:45 p.m.

LEADING THE FIGHT FOR BUDGET REFORM

Dear Friend,

I have been fighting for reform since first coming to Albany two years ago. I believe reform is long overdue. The residents of my district and the entire state deserve a more open and responsive government and after 20 years of late state budgets - an on-time budget.

I am, however, pleased to report that on the first day of session this year, I voted in support of several reform measures which were adopted. The Assembly and Senate accomplished the first passage of reform legislation in 2004. Once these measures pass a second consecutive legislative session, residents of the state will be able to vote on these important proposals as early as this year.

For your review, I have highlighted some of the most important aspects of the budget reform package. If you have any specific questions about any budget issue, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Reilich supported new Assembly rules adopted in January that require members to be in their seats to cast a vote, thus ending the "empty-seat" voting of past sessions.

Shortened Amendment Period

By limiting the governor’s time to amend the executive budget from the current 30 days to 21 days, we can begin to realize an on-time budget.

Contingency Budget

Implementation of a contingency budget would require enactment of the previous year’s budget if, by the budget deadline, no agreement has been reached for the next fiscal year.

May 1 Fiscal Year

New York is the only state in the nation whose fiscal year begins on April 1. Legislators would have better information from the previous year about tax revenue and spending if the fiscal year begins May 1.

Additional Reserve Funds

Creation of additional reserve funds, beyond the Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund (TSRF), for contingency reserve and ensuing school aid payments would help New York become more efficient.

Independent Budget Office

Create an independent budget office assigned to forecast revenue, recommend spending options and provide full cost-benefit analysis of legislative proposals. This would help lawmakers draft and agree on a budget.

Education Spending

Schools and children lose when the budget is late. Under this reform package, the Legislature would be required to approve state aid for all schools at two-year increments, rather than one.

LEADING THE FIGHT FOR HEALTH CARE

MEDICAID REFORM
AND MANDATE RELIEF

New York’s counties struggle under the burden of Medicaid costs that have risen over 50 percent in the past few years. Municipalities and county governments are forced to pass these higher costs to local taxpayers via higher tax levies or reduced services.

Bill proposes:

A restructuring plan requiring the state to assume all Medicaid costs over a five-year period
Emergency Medicaid relief for localities
A ban on new unfunded mandates
State mandate reimbursement procedures
Municipal liability reform.

HEALTH CARE

Assemblyman Reilich is working hard to protect your quality of life

Access to quality, affordable health care is essential to every New Yorker, but the delivery of care often leaves hospitals and providers with excessive paperwork. The following proposals would make health care more affordable and streamline hospital administration so medical professionals have more time for their patients.

EPIC Extra -- Allow every senior citizen with an annual income of less than $60,000 to claim an income tax deduction of up to $1,000 to defray prescription drug costs.

Hospital Technology Modernization Program -- Provide hospitals with incentives to reduce paperwork, expedite provider payments, eliminate errors and maintain hospital/provider reimbursement rates.

Health Insurance Tax Credit -- Provide young adults who are paying their health insurance premiums with a tax credit for three years after graduation from high school, college or graduate school.

Expand Appeal of Federal Health Savings Accounts (HSA) -- New York’s health insurance statutes predate HSA availability, making them difficult to obtain. State requirements on these accounts should be relaxed so more New York families may be eligible for this federal program.

LEADING THE FIGHT FOR SAFER COMMUNITIES

Safer Communities

New York is the safest large state in the nation, but more must be done. Assemblyman Reilich is committed to further reducing violent crime and other illegal activity.

It has been more than three years since the tragic events of September 11, 2001; yet, New York’s anti-terrorism laws have changed only marginally. Assemblyman Reilich suggests the following changes, many of which are supported by the governor and have already passed the state Senate.

Agri-bioterrorism:

Food is fundamental to our lives, but its sources can too easily be threatened. This legislation would punish individuals who attack our food supply as their way of intimidating civilians or our government.

Freight rail security:

Another consideration in our post-9/11 world is the legitimacy of freight rail shipments along the New York-Canadian border. Security has tightened in recent years, but gaps still exist - particularly in rural, remote or unguarded border areas. Secure rail policies that target screening and examination of incoming freight rail shipments, especially those containing hazardous materials, is a top priority of Assemblyman Reilich.

Reducing Urban Crime

As a member of the Urban Crime Task Force, I have had the opportunity to travel across the state to hold a series of hearings to gather information about the problem of crime in our cities. Preliminary recommendations of the task force include:

Gunshot detection:

Create a pilot program using proven gunshot detection technology to assist undermanned and overworked police departments. In addition to improving response time, this program would help police implement preventive strategies in high-risk areas.

Expansion of "Bawdy House" Law:

Improve the current law so it can be better applied to the fight against the illegal drug trade. This could be accomplished by adding possession and/or sale of drugs to the unlawful activities already covered under the law, expanding the boundaries specified in the law from 200 to 1,000 feet, and giving certain neighborhood officials the authority to begin eviction proceedings.

Emergency Services

Assemblyman Reilich voted to:

Designate county EMS vehicles as "official vehicles" so they can get help to where it’s needed quicker.
Allow fire companies and rescue squads to contract with other agencies for mutual aid, thereby providing better coverage of the districts.