Wednesday, January 8th was the first day of the 2025 Legislative Session. The day included opening day receptions, the re-election of Carl Heastie as Assembly Speaker and Andrea Stewart-Cousins as Senate Majority Leader, opening speeches, and other formalities. During their opening speeches, Speaker Heastie and Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins outlined their priorities for this Session. Affordability, equitable school funding, and public safety were major themes in both leaders’ speeches. “We’ve always kept our focus on affordability,” Leader Stewart-Cousins said. “While we’ve made great strides…we know families are still feeling the pinch and we know the challenges ahead require maintaining and strengthening our resolve to make New York more affordable.” She continued, “as New Yorkers grapple with their utility bills, we’ll double down on efforts to lower the cost of energy and protect ratepayers from price gouging. All this while continuing to tackle exorbitant costs at the register for food and clothing.” Speaking about public safety in his speech, Speaker Heastie said, “although crime is down across the state, we need to make people feel safe. We must address the continuing crises of the people struggling with mental health, substance use disorders and homelessness. And we also need resources for successful Raise the Age programs across the state. Jails and prisons are not the place to solve the problems associated with homelessness, behavioral health or troubled youth. Instead, these solutions need to be within our communities. We need to work together with our partners in local government so that they have the tools required to address the challenges in their communities.”
You can watch Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins’s full speech here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LegCQS6TuM&ab_channel=NYSenate and you can read Speaker Heastie’s full opening day remarks here: https://assembly.state.ny.us/Press/?sec=story&story=112675
On Thursday, January 10th, both the Assembly and Senate announced Committee Chair assignments for this new two-year Session cycle. The Committee Chairs in each House are:
Assembly | Senate |
Aging – Rebecca Seawright | Aging – Cordell Cleare |
Agriculture – Donna Lupardo | Agriculture – Michelle Hinchey |
Alcoholism & Drug Abuse – Phil Steck | Alcoholism & Substance Use Disorders – Nathalia Fernandez |
Banks – Clyde Vanel | Banks – James Sanders |
Children & Families – Andrew Hevesi | Budget & Revenue – Andrew Gounardes |
Cities – Patrick Burke | Children & Families – Jabari Brisport |
Codes – Jeffrey Dinowitz | Cities 1 – Luis Sepulveda |
Consumer Affairs – Nily Rozic | Cities 2 – Christopher Ryan |
Corporations, Authorities & Commissions – Edward Braunstein | Civil Service & Pensions – Robert Jackson |
Correction – Erik Dilan | Codes – Zellnor Myrie |
Economic Development – Al Stirpe | Commerce,
Economic Development & Small Business – Sean Ryan |
Education – Michael Benedetto | Consumer Protection – Rachel May |
Election Law – Latrice Walker | Corporations, Authorities & Commissions – Leroy Comrie |
Energy – Didi Barrett | Crime Victims, Crime & Correction – Julia Salazar |
Environmental Conservation – Deborah Glick | Disabilities – Fahy |
Ethics & Guidance – Karen McMahon | Education – Shelley Mayer |
Governmental Employees – Stacey Pheffer Amato | Elections – Kristen Gonzalez |
Governmental Operations – John McDonald | Energy – Kevin Parker |
Health – Amy Paulin | Environmental Conservation – Pete Harckham |
Higher Education – Alicia Hyndman | Ethics & Internal Governance – Shelley Mayer |
Housing – Linda Rosenthal | Finance – Liz Krueger |
Insurance – David Weprin | Health – Gustavo Rivera |
Judiciary – Charles Lavine | Higher Education – Toby Ann Stavisky |
Labor – Harry Bronson | Housing, Construction &
Community Development – Brian Kavanagh |
Libraries & Education Technology – Robert Carroll | Insurance – Jamal Bailey |
Local Governments – Billy Jones | Internet & Technology – Kristen Gonzalez |
Mental Health – Jo Anne Simon | Investigations &
Government Operations – James Skoufis |
Oversight, Analysis & Investigations – Jonathan Jacobson | Judiciary – Brad Hoylman-Sigal |
People with Disabilities – Angelo Santabarbara | Labor – Jessica Ramos |
Racing & Wagering – Carrie Woerner | Libraries – Siela Bynoe |
Real Property Taxation – Jaime Williams | Local Government – Monica Martinez |
Rules – Carl Heastie | Mental Health – Samra Brouk |
Science & Technology – Steve Otis | New York City Education – John Liu |
Small Business – Marianne Buttenschon | Procurement & Contracts – April Baskin |
Social Services – Maritza Davila | Racing, Gaming & Wagering – Joe Addabbo |
Tourism – Ron Kim | Rules – Andrea Stewart-Cousins |
Transportation – William Magnarelli | Social Services – Roxanne Persaud |
Veterans Affairs – Steven Stern | Transportation – Jeremy Cooney |
Ways & Means – Gary Pretlow | Veterans, Homeland
Security & Military Affairs – Jessica Scarcella-Spanton |
Women’s Issues – Lea Webb |
It was also announced that Assemblywoman Pamela Hunter will be taking over as Speaker Pro Tempore, which was formerly held by Jeff Aubry.