As the past president of the Nassau County Council of Chambers of Commerce, I’ve made job creation a hallmark of my tenure in the Assembly. I’ve fought hard to pass legislation that allows our local businesses to grow and encourages others to follow their dreams and start a business. We’re all committed to making New York ‘Open for Business,’ and the next step toward opening our doors is eliminating outdated regulations.

New York’s small businesses are hurting. They’ve been saddled with over 49,000 pages of regulations and red tape. Every day, our local entrepreneurs are fighting to keep their doors open and keep our friends and neighbors employed. Now, we have the chance to give them a boost and eliminate some of the regulations that are outdated and stifling our business climate.

That’s why I’m taking the time to applaud my colleagues in the Senate Majority Coalition for their bipartisan initiative on regulatory reform. Earlier this week, the Senate passed a series of 14 regulatory reform bills designed to grow and create jobs, build a more competitive environment for businesses, and deliver relief from high taxes and burdensome and unnecessary regulations, which have been a major obstacle when it comes to revitalizing New York's economy. Many of these initiatives have received strong support from groups like the New York State Association of Counties and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).

But more can be done.

My colleagues and I have sponsored a number of pro-jobs bills that should be taken into consideration. One example is Assembly Bill 1570, which would enact a moratorium on unfunded mandates. Too often, state government passes along costly requirements to our local schools and towns, and forces us to bear the burden for a program that might not even be right for us. Putting a moratorium on these requirements wouldn’t just ease the financial burden on taxpayers, but would also make state government accountable for its actions. We’ve also put forward initiatives to encourage manufacturers to relocate to New York and offer support to veterans looking to open a business.

I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and the governor as we work to make a better New York for all of us.