Carl E. Heastie to Continue as Speaker

Statement from Speaker Carl E. Heastie:

I am truly humbled and grateful that my Democratic colleagues have once again chosen me to lead our Assembly Majority conference in our shared mission of putting families first. It is my profound privilege to work alongside them in serving the citizens and families of our great state.  As one of the most diverse Legislative bodies in the nation, we stand united with people from all different creeds and backgrounds in the pursuit of a brighter, more hopeful future.

As we enter the 2017 session, the Assembly Majority will reaffirm its commitment to building bridges to economic opportunity for all New Yorkers. We will make sure our state remains the gateway to educational achievement that it has always been. We will fight to ensure our most vulnerable populations are protected. And we will continue to defend constitutionally protected freedoms such as civil rights and access to reproductive choice.

As we look to a new year, too many communities in our state are still struggling to curb homelessness and provide their families with a chance to reach and remain in the middle class. It remains our top priority to support them and give every New Yorker meaningful tools to succeed. Druing the last two years, I am proud to have led our conference in achieving a minimum wage increase, the strongest paid family leave program in the nation and record investment in education for our students.

I have said many times before that governing is never easy but so long as we remember the promises we have made to the hardworking families across this state, we will meet our challenges head on and we will succeed. I thank my colleagues for their support and for their unwavering commitment to the People’s House of the New York State Legislature and its vision for stronger communities and a stronger New York.