Sen. James Skoufis Reviews 2023 Year in State Senate

As the old year ends and a new one begins, Senator James Skoufis (D-Orange County) and his staff like to take a moment to look back on everything they have been able to accomplish throughout the previous year. This is a chance to aggregate data, learn from wins and losses, and chart a course for the new year. The compiled data is their annual Year in Review.

2023 was a productive, hard fought year for the Senator and his staff, with 75 bills passed through the Senate, 42 passed through both the Senate and Assembly, and 37 bills signed into law.

Senator Skoufis voted independently from his party 147 times throughout the year, making him the most independent State Senator in the chamber. Many of those votes were against tax increases at a time when New Yorkers could not–and cannot–afford hikes. The Senator totaled 84 total votes against new taxes during the 2023 legislative session.

Schools in Senate District 42 are now receiving $725.7 million in state aid–which is more than a 25% increase over 2022. Senator Skoufis has long fought for the roll-out of Universal Pre-K in Orange County, and 2023 saw the creation of 840 new universal pre-k seats.

The Senator’s team worked to secure $980,000 for local first responders and equipment, and had the opportunity to present a number of well-deserved grants to agencies and organizations doing vital work in our communities. These included $125,000 to the Hudson Highlands Museum to repave their entrance, making their facilities more accessible to the public, $50,000 to Pets Alive, to build new facilities to house their canine residents, and $5,000 each to two well-run organizations in Middletown–Middletown Youth Sports and Soccer Club de Middletown. Both offer after-school programs and are run by individuals whose focus is empowering youth and building community.

Last–but certainly not least–the Senator’s office heard from and responded to 2,013 constituents throughout the district. These cases ranged from utility concerns, unemployment issues, DMV problems, calls for flooding relief in the wake of the July storm, and everything in between.

“It is my honor to serve as your State Senator,” said Skoufis. “I am looking forward to continuing to represent this district, and delivering at every opportunity. Here’s to a successful 2024!”