Giving every child the education they need to excel

Assemblyman Magnarelli has been appointed to an Assembly-Senate conference committee designed to find agreement on a new system of school financing before a July 30 court deadline. However, the governor and Senate have walked away from the table. If we fail to meet that deadline, the court will impose its own system – one that only addresses the needs of New York City schools, leaving other high-need districts like Solvay out in the cold.

The Assembly has worked hard to come up with a fair plan – which Magnarelli supports – that provides nearly $6.1 billion more in aid for schools statewide over five years without taking a “Robin Hood” approach that sees some districts profit at the expense of others. In fact, the Solvay School District will receive $9.21 million this year alone. The plan also helps meet school infrastructure needs, providing $1.7 million to Solvay schools.

Strong jobs and a strong economy

Magnarelli has been working with the Metropolitan Development Agency of Central New York to create jobs and revitalize the economy.

He also:

• Secured four $50,000 grants for local firms through the New York Indoor Environmental Quality Center’s Commercialization Assistance Program – a program that encourages innovation in the fast-growing field of Indoor Environmental Quality
• Introduced legislation (A.11717) requiring governmental review before the Destiny USA project can get up to $52.5 million a year in Empire Zone benefits to guarantee that the project creates thousands of jobs as promised

Magnarelli awards $50,000 to Air Innovations Inc. of Syracuse as part of the New York Indoor Environmental Quality Center’s Commercialization Assistance Program. The company is one of four that each received grants in the field of indoor environmental quality – an industry identified as one with great potential for creating jobs.

Keeping Central New York safe

Assemblyman Magnarelli helped pass a measure expanding the state’s criminal DNA database to include sexual assault and 50 other violent crimes (A.11721). The bill – which awaits the governor’s signature – requires a person convicted of a crime requiring registration under Megan’s Law and a range of other crimes to submit a DNA sample, giving law enforcement an important new tool.

The Senate and Assembly also passed legislation making the phone number through which citizens can check the sex offender registry toll-free (A.11590). For more information, call the New York State Division of Criminal Justice at 1-800-262-3257.

Magnarelli also sponsored legislation:

• Enhancing the Amber Alert Plan to allow for notification of a missing child through e-mail and text messaging (A.11532; passed Assembly and Senate)
• Forcing hospitals to ask new parents to watch a video on the dangers of Shaken Baby Syndrome, and to have the parents sign a form saying they either watched or refused (A.10889; passed Assembly and Senate)
• Requiring auto insurance companies to cover the cost of replacing a child seat used in a car accident (A.2797; passed Assembly)

Reforming the state’s budget process

To help end New York’s streak of late budgets, Magnarelli fought for historic budget reform legislation (A.11702/S.7615).

Under the new system – which could go before voters next fall for final approval – a contingency budget would go into effect on May 1 if agreement hasn’t been reached on a budget. It would remain in effect until both houses pass and the governor signs a single budget.

Other components of the plan include:

• Moving the start of the state fiscal year to May 1 from April 1
• Two-year appropriations for public schools to help them plan
• Creation of an independent budget office
• An earlier budget proposal submission from the governor

Assemblyman
Bill Magnarelli

333 E. Washington Street • Rm. 840 • Syracuse, NY 13202
(315) 428-9651 • magnarw@assembly.state.ny.us