With the end of session getting closer, the days are getting busier and busier in the legislature. Of particular interest to those with college-bound students, this week the Higher Education Services Commission released new information about the Excelsior Scholarship and Enhanced Tuition Award- with one notable detail being that should a student not comply with the terms of the award, that it would be converted into a 10 year loan with 0% interest. The application for the awards is open now until July 29.

Ridesharing Rollout Date Moved to June 29. Governor Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday announced new regulations for the implementation of ride sharing across New York. Required regulations have been issued by multiple state agencies to allow ride sharing services to be offered by June 29- which will allow New Yorkers to have another safe option for travel over the Independence Day weekend.

Assembly Passes Bill to Change Albany School Board Election Date. Earlier this week, the assembly passed my bill to change the date of the election for Albany City School District board members from November to the 3rd Tuesday in May, the day of their school budget vote. These provisions would align the district’s fiscal and academic cycle with the process for electing and installing new members of their governance team. Albany City Schools is currently the only district in the state which elects school board member in November.

Child Marriage to be Outlawed in NYS. On Thursday, the Assembly passed a bill raising the minimum age for marriage in New York from 14 to 17, a reform which was severely overdue. The Assembly’s legislation takes critical steps by abolishing any possibility of marriage for 14-, 15- and 16-year-olds. It would require court approval, pursuant to specified guidelines, under which a judge must consider specific factors, such as the existence of any undue power imbalance and the existence of domestic violence, prior to permitting a 17-year-old to marry. The bill has also been passed by the Senate and will be signed by the Governor.

Funding Doubled for “Connect Kids to Parks” Program. It was announced on Tuesday that New York State has doubled the funding for its Connect Kids to Parks field trip grant program, increasing from $500,000 to $1 million to support more educational visits to state parks, historic sites and public lands. The Connect Kids to Parks field trip grant program offers state grants to public schools in Title 1 districts throughout New York State to fund field trips to state parks and historic sites for environmental, historical and physical education programming. In its first year, the program funded nearly 750 field trips, serving nearly 30,000 public school children from Title 1 school districts throughout the state.

Assembly Passes Bill to Increase Statue of Limitations for Child Sex Crimes. The Assembly passed a bill Wednesday that would extend statutes of limitations for criminal and civil cases involving sexual abuse of children allowing victims to seek legal recourse as adults. Under the legislation, in cases involving a felony sex crime against a minor that have a statute of limitations for criminal prosecution, the limitations period would not commence until the victim turns 23. The United States Department of Justice has reported that only 10 percent of sexual predators are exposed. In response, a significant provision of this bill would provide a one-year look-back window for adult survivors who, under current law, are not able to seek recourse by civil action. This look-back window would take effect six months after the bill is signed into law.

Look for “New York Certified” Dairy. The New York State Grown & Certified program is expanding to include the New York dairy industry. The state is partnering with Stewart’s Shops to launch the promotional program that distinguishes agricultural products that are local and made by producers who meet safe food handling best practices and demonstrate environmental stewardship. Beginning next month, consumers will be able to find the NYS Certified label on Stewart’s dairy products in more than 300 stores across the State. Stewart’s egg supplier, Thomas Poultry Farm from Schuylerville, is also participating in the program.

Community Updates

NY Women Legislators to Host Screening of “She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry”. Along with several New York women legislators, I am hosting a screening of “She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry” on Tuesday June 13th at 6:45PM at the Madison Theater. The film resurrects the buried history of the women who founded the modern women’s movement from 1966 to 1971. “She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry” recounts the stories of women who fought for equality and in the process created a world-wide revolution.

What Just Happened? : Post Legislative Session Recap Event. I’ll be joining a bipartisan panel of lawmakers later this month to discuss what was accomplished in this year’s legislative session, which ends on June 21. The panel will be held on Tuesday, June 27 from 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. at the Hearst Media Center. Read here for more information.

Wayne Jackson Honored by Albany County. Albany County Executive Dan McCoy recognized several local veterans, including Assembly Sergeant at Arms Wayne Jackson. A veteran of the US Army, Jackson served as a combat infantryman in Vietnam and it is there that he earned two Purple Hearts for injuries suffered in combat. Following contact with a land mine in the Mekong Delta, Wayne spent two years in rehabilitation to regain the use of his legs. He returned to Albany, got his degree and began a long career in the Assembly, where he continues to serve as the Sergeant-At-Arms.

RED Bookshelf Opens New Location. Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan earlier this week cut the ribbon on the new location of The RED Bookshelf at 200 Green St. The RED Bookshelf a non-profit organization that provides children’s books to low-income families in Albany. Nationally, children in low-income neighborhoods average just one book for every 300 children. Studies show that having books fundamentally influences a child’s chances for both personal and academic success.

Roundtable on Civic Education in Democratic Society. Next week, the University Club of Albany will be hosting a roundtable discussion on Civic Education in Democratic Society. Lawrence Paska, Ph. D., will discuss the role of civic education and civic engagement in a democratic society at the Albany Roundtable’s Annual Meeting on Thursday, June 15. The event is open to the public, and will be held at the National Register-listed University Club of Albany, 141 Washington Avenue at Dove Street.

Job Opportunities: New York State has set up a new job portal entitled Jobs Express, where thousands of private and public sector jobs are listed. Visit jobs.ny.gov for more information on how to apply for these opportunities.

As always, for the latest news or for upcoming events, please visit my office online, on Facebook, on Twitter, or my Times Union blog. If you would like to reach my office, please feel free to send us a note.

Sincerely---

Pat