From Amazon pulling out of the NYC location for its new headquarters, to the legislature's first official sexual harassment hearing in 25 years - it was a busy week! Read below to catch up on anything you may have missed in the way of state and local news.

LEGISLATIVE NEWS

Governor Signs Child Victims Act Into Law. On Thursday, Governor Cuomo signed the Child Victims Act into law at the Daily News headquarters in New York City - a testament to the paper that was prominent in bringing the issue of childhood sexual abuse to the limelight over the last two years. The law will allow victims of childhood sexual abuse to hold their perpetrators responsible for their crimes in an expanded capacity so that all victims may receive justice. I applaud the efforts of advocates and lawmakers to allow victims to have their day in court.

Amazon Pulls Decision to Build HQ2 in NYC. On Thursday last week, Amazon officially announced their decision to relocate their new headquarters somewhere other than the planned location in New York City. I worry about what this decision means for New York's business climate at an important and fragile economic time. While the company failed to do its due diligence in community outreach and in negotiations with labor - this an opportunity missed for the entire state. For my full statement on Amazon's decision, please follow this link to my Facebook page.  You can also watch what I had to say in Spectrum News Capital Region's coverage of the story, where I mention some of my concerns here.

Dozens of Lawmakers Send Joint Letter to DHS Secretary Nielsen. Dozens of lawmakers signed onto a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen from myself and Assemblymember Michaelle Solages, urging her to add courthouses to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 'sensitive locations' list. The move would prohibit agents from making arrests or detaining people within a public courthouse. Our letter also urges Secretary Nielsen to scale back ICE's increasingly aggressive behavior here in Upstate New York, exemplified by the arrest of Kinimo Ngoran here in the Capital Region over three weeks ago.

Legislative Hearing on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Held. The legislature held a joint hearing on sexual harassment in the workplace this week for the first time in over twenty-five years. Former legislative employees who had experienced instances of sexual harassment in the past gave personal testimonies that were incredibly powerful and I thank them for their courage. As we experience a cultural shift in the way we handle sexual harassment in the workplace, it is important we continue to have these discussions and remain vigilant as we move forward.

$12.5M PILOT Payment Possible at Harriman Thanks to Wadsworth Labs. Last month, we learned that Wadsworth Labs, the state's public health lab, would remain within the City of Albany and that its new location is planned for the Harriman State Office Campus. With the win of a new development In Albany comes the renewed the possibility of a $12.5m state PILOT payment to address the long-term structural debt. This continues to be a top budget priority and I look forward to continuing to work with the Capital Region delegation, the Governor, and our local leaders to address this local need.

Legislative Hearings on Landmark Climate Change Legislation. The state Senate held hearings on the Climate and Community Protection Act (CCPA), and the Climate and Community Investment Act (CCIA) this week, to gauge public support and opinion for some of the most popular provisions of each piece of legislation. As climate change begins to impact New York's communities on a greater level, it's crucial we deploy ambitious tactics to ensure we're protecting our communities most vulnerable to climate change. I was happy to see so many advocates and concerned citizens testifying at these hearings, as it illustrates an engaged citizenry on this important topic.

COMMUNITY UPDATES

NYS Museum Hosting Free Events for Kids This Week. The New York State Museum will offer students on winter break this week a host of free events that range from a Rock and Fossil Fair to learning about what New York State was like during the Ice Age! Follow this link for more information.

New 'People of New York' Exhibit Unveiled At Capitol. A new exhibit featuring stories from different generations of New Yorkers throughout our state's history is open at the state Capitol. An interactive website where individuals may submit their own stories has been created exclusively for the exhibit, and stories may also be submitted in person.

Youth FX Events This Month. Youth FX is hosting a range of events this month, including an art exhibition with a range of prominent artists who will be showcasing their work.

Africana Film Series. The Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Science will host an Africana film series on February 19th at 7PM in room SC201 at ACPHS. Follow this link to learn more about the film series here.  

OUR WEEK BY THE NUMBERS

26 - Meetings By The Office
359 - Constituent Communications
6 - Interviews, Press Coverage
3 - Community Events
4 - Legislative Budget Hearings (Local Gov't, Taxes, Economic Development, Sexual Harassment in the Workplace)
1 - Guest Lecturer at UAlbany Political Science Course

Pat