Beginning in January, a new law requires the installation of crossover (convex) mirrors on large trucks, eliminating a dangerous blind spot for truck drivers, and helping protect pedestrians on our city streets, particularly children, from being injured or killed when a truck first begins to move. The Assembly first introduced this legislation in 1994 following the deaths of two young boys in Brooklyn. Convex mirrors are a very effective tool to protect pedestrians from accidents caused by blind spots. This new law will allow truck operators to see pedestrians or objects directly in front of them and will provide new safety protections.

A new law cracks down on motorists using electronic devices while driving, allowing police officers to pull over and ticket a driver solely for committing this dangerous and distracting practice. Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein helped pass the new measure which defines electronic devices as including but not limited to cell phones, PDAs, laptops, pads and electronic games (Ch. 109 of 2011). This law puts us a step closer to having the safest streets possible.

If the quality of our City’s drinking water is compromised, Brooklyn would need a filtration system that’s estimated to cost taxpayers as much as $30 billion and would increase our water bills.

Hydrofracking can impact the health of New Yorkers and the State. We cannot risk the safety of our drinking water and our environment. This legislation allows additional time to study the evidence and ensures the best possible decision is made for all New Yorkers. Assemblywoman Weinstein voted in support of legislation (A7400) suspending new hydrofracking in New York until June 2012.

Legislation, sponsored by Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein, would realize the great promise of DNA evidence by maximizing the use of DNA both to convict the guilty and exonerate the innocent. The bill provides for the establishment of statewide standards for the preservation and cataloguing of DNA evidence to ensure that such evidence will be available when needed for criminal justice purposes. This key legislation (A5886a) expands the DNA database to require all persons convicted of a crime to submit a DNA sample.

When the state’s $10 billion deficit threatened to close the doors to our senior centers, Assemblywoman Weinstein fought back. She knows that now, more than ever, older New Yorkers look to senior centers for nutritious meals, health and wellness. That’s why she voted in favor of restoring $25 million to New York City senior centers. The state funding keeps open the 3 neighborhood centers that were on the chopping block.

Assemblywoman Weinstein sought to ensure summer youth employment placements to keep motivated youth working. The final budget restores $15.5 million to the Summer Youth Employment Program. In 2010, the program helped 35,725 young adults find jobs in 5,800 worksites throughout New York City.

Funding for vital social services to help struggling families make ends meet. The budget restores $9.4 million to various child care, education, and employment programs.

Also included in the budget is a three-year phase-in to provide homecare workers with a local living wage. Homecare workers provide an invaluable service to the sick and the elderly, yet many of them struggle just to pay their bills and put food on the table - they deserve to make a fair income.

As of April 1, the state sales tax exemption on clothing has been restored, so there is no state sales tax on clothing purchases under $55. After one year, it increases to $110.

Assemblywoman Weinstein supported legislation to continue the millionaire’s tax at the current rates through 2012 and rejected the special millionaire tax cut putting New York’s richest in the same tax bracket as individuals making $20,000, or a family of four making $40,000. Unfortunately, the Senate Majority and Governor rejected these proposals.

Assemblywoman Weinstein is sponsoring legislation (A7264) that would require judges to request banks/lenders to provide proof of ownership of a property in foreclosure during default judgment court proceedings. Presently, if a property owner fails to respond to a default judgment letter sent by a mortgage lender, even if it is not their lender, the homeowner loses the right to use this as a defense during the proceedings.

In June, Assemblywoman Weinstein helped pass bipartisan legislation implementing the strongest, boldest improvements to New York’s rent-regulations laws in nearly 30 years (Ch. 97 of 2011). In doing so, we were able to give hardworking New Yorkers access to affordable housing with stronger rent protections for middle-class and low-income families. The law closed the loopholes that made raising rent and rent decontrol far too easy for landlords who priced families out of their homes.

Senior Half-Fare MetroCard Bus Comes to the Community Office
September 15th, 2011 • November 17th, 2011
10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Apply for the Senior Half-Fare MetroCard and Receive one on the spot
Proper age I.D. (65 years and older) and photo I.D. are required